During pregnancy, women will undergo several changes both physically and mentally, as that’s a transformative journey with a bunch of happiness and challenges as well. Just think from the moment you came to know that you going to hold your tiny wonder in your hands within 10 months to going through labor and bringing your baby to this world is a wonderful journey, despite these exciting moments, women tend to face some obstacles like frequent sickness, vomiting, weight gain during pregnancy, and mostly importantly leg swelling.
Leg swelling is one of the most common issues that pregnant women face. As we all know, pregnant women face several changes during pregnancy to support the infant’s growth and development. During this time, it’s quite common to experience swelling in your ankles, legs, and feet. Further, this blog will give you a clear picture of whether it’s normal to experience leg swelling during pregnancy or when expectant mothers consider getting medical care, and tips to alleviate this pain.
Why do pregnant women experience leg swelling?
Leg swelling during pregnancy is a common thing, and it’s typically harmless, it can be triggered by numerous factors. When you are pregnant, your body will start producing more blood and fluids to support the infant in your womb. This excess fluid will get stored in the lower parts of your body, notably in your legs and feet.
Further, a growing uterus adds more pressure on your veins in the pelvis and lower body, eventually, the process of returning blood from the legs to the heart will slow down, so fluid pooling will occur in your lower limbs. Hormonal fluctuations also cause the walls of the blood vessels to relax, so easily those fluids will leak into the surrounding tissues, at that time, consider getting leg swelling treatment in Coimbatore to get the desired outcomes.
These swellings will become more noticeable during the afternoon and evening and will get worse during the hot temperatures and after standing for extended periods. Expectant mothers can manage this issue by elevating their feet, drinking sufficient fluids, and regular movements can help manage the swelling.
What are the common causes of leg swelling during pregnancy?
Typically, during the pregnancy journey, expectant mothers will undergo numerous changes. As mentioned above, an expectant mother’s body will produce more blood during pregnancy to support the infant’s growth, which results in swelling in certain parts of the body.
One of the common symptoms during pregnancy is fluid retention, slow circulation will cause swelling, notably in the legs, ankles, and feet. Further, let’s have a precise look at those common causes:
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Elevated blood volume and fluid retention:
When you are pregnant, a woman’s body will work hard to produce more amounts of blood volume to deliver crucial nutrients and oxygen for the infant. It is one of the common things among expectant mothers to increase blood volume by nearly 50%. As a result, leg swelling and fluid retention can occur. When this swelling occurs gradually, it is not harmful to your baby, only the sudden swelling can indicate high blood pressure. Also, it can cause some level of discomfort for you, but it’s quite normal and a sign of your body working properly.
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Pressure from the uterus:
As we all know, the pregnant uterus will expand to offer a sufficient space for the growing infant. Eventually, when your uterus becomes big, it will add more pressure on your lower body, notably on those large veins carrying blood back from the legs to the heart. This pressure reduces the blood flow from the legs to the heart, automatically this will cause fluid retention and result in leg swelling.
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Hormonal fluctuations:
The next major reason for leg swelling during pregnancy is hormonal changes. When pregnant, progesterone hormones are produced at very high levels. Eventually, blood vessels will get relaxed, and there will be reduced blood flow. During this time, fluid will build up in your legs. Further, the adrenal gland produces an excess amount of hormones like aldosterone and cortisol, which results in fluid retention in the body.
How should I find whether this is normal or abnormal swelling?
Most pregnant women will experience leg swelling during pregnancy, and it’s quite normal. Also, you need to understand that not always are these leg swellings harmless, at times, they indicate a serious health issue. Further, let’s see how to find whether it’s normal or serious swelling.
- Persistent swelling even when you are resting for a whole day
- Face swelling
- Hands swelling
- Your swelling is getting worse than before
You should give more attention to this swelling, because this can be more annoying than you think. Typically, swelling will get normal with proper rest. Simply, if you are experiencing swelling for more than a day and sudden swelling could indicate the presence of pre-eclampsia. Also, the severity of swelling differs on both legs, you should also give attention to this condition.
Are there any ways to cope with swollen legs during pregnancy?
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Wear compression socks:
When wearing compression socks up to your knee, it will greatly help in reducing the pain. These socks will slowly increase the pressure in your legs and help in moving back the excess fluid into your blood vessels and other parts of your body.
Also, make sure you are not using a tight band at the end, because this might worsen your swelling by holding the blood. Even these compression socks will help in preventing the varicose veins, which is also one of the common issues faced by several pregnant women. After your first pregnancy, the risk will double, and the risk will be four times higher for women over the age of 35.
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Resting:
- Elevate your legs above the heart level when watching TV, reading, or doing other activities by sitting. The small changes in your body position will decrease pressure on your veins. For comfort, use cushions and elevate your legs for 15 to 20 minute intervals often, to manage edema during your pregnancy.
- You can sleep on either side, but often sleeping on the left side is recommended because it helps in avoiding adding pressure to the mother’s inferior vena cava, this vein carries blood to the individual’s lower extremities to their heart.
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Make your feet wet:
To alleviate this leg swelling during your pregnancy, you can try a combination of techniques and one of the effective techniques among them is making your feet wet, like putting your legs in cold water for at least 20 minutes, you can consider trying this at least 2 times in a week, you can make use of bathtub, large bowl, or pool to do this technique. It is also one of the best ways to deal with heat if you are pregnant during the summer season.
Also, ensure that the water temperature is normal, not ice cold. Those smaller blood vessels closer to your skin will constrict in cold temperatures. While cold water has the opposite effect, whether you sit or stand, water therapy is the best way to get rid of pain and stress.
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Use supportive shoes:
When using uncomfortable shoes, you will get more foot, leg, and back pain. Consider wearing shoes that have a low heel, but also make sure that they are not flat, also, use shoes that give you good arch support, like athletic shoes. These days, most fashion brands are giving equal importance to comfort and style, so even the most fashionable patients will feel free to use these shoes.
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Exercise and stretching:
You can try doing mild exercises like calf stretches, torso rotations, and ankle pumps, which will greatly help in relieving leg swelling. Further, you can also try moderate walking and prenatal yoga to reduce swelling by improving your circulation.
Consistent leg stretching will greatly help by preventing the fluid buildup, which will help in reducing the likelihood of leg swelling. Start with mild activities, which can also assist with better blood circulation and prevent fluid retention.
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Hydration and nutrition:
When drinking sufficient water, those excess fluids from the body will get flushed out. Further, consuming potassium-rich foods and limiting sodium intake can also assist in lowering fluid retention. So it’s better to try to prepare your meals by yourself at home, thus you can control your salt intake.
When should pregnant women consider getting medical help for leg swelling?
As mentioned above, mild leg swelling is normal during pregnancy, but at times it requires medical help. Okay, when should I consider my leg swelling as an issue? When you are experiencing sudden swelling on the face, hands, and more swelling in one leg and less in another indicates something serious. Give attention to these signs and consider reaching out to the best maternity hospital in Coimbatore, because it could be preeclampsia or a blood clot.
In case you are experiencing other signs like dizziness, head pain, chest pain, leg swelling, and blurred vision, don’t ignore them, because these signs are very rare and not every expectant mother will experience this. Just act vigilantly whenever experiencing any strange symptoms during this journey, as this could safeguard your baby’s life.
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Common signs to look for:
When experiencing leg swelling during your pregnancy, you should also look for other signs. In case you are experiencing leg swelling after standing for an extended period, this is completely normal. Then your legs will feel heavy and achy, also you will feel like your shoes are becoming a little tight. These signs will go away when you rest properly, and these are the signs that your body is adapting to the changes during pregnancy. Also, it is better to monitor them.
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Sudden signs that require immediate attention:
When experiencing abrupt swelling in your legs or signs such as chest pain, short breaths, and a sudden surge in swelling, it’s crucial to seek medical help. These could be the signs of blood clots, reduced blood flow, or similar conditions. In such cases, it is vital to reach out to the healthcare provider to take immediate action.
Final thoughts:
In conclusion, we can say that leg swelling among pregnant women is often considered a harmless symptom. These are the significant signs that indicate that your body is adopting those changes to help the infant’s growth and development. Even though these sudden changes can highly annoy you. Also, you need to understand that only mild swelling is not harmful to your health, other symptoms like chest pain, dizziness, and swelling in only one leg indicate a serious health problem. Taking proper precautions and reaching out to a doctor when needed will assist you in managing your leg swelling and having a healthy pregnancy journey.
