Dizziness during pregnancy: is it normal?

Main symptoms

Dizziness is the occurrence of an illusory feeling of instability in space, movement of one’s own body and surrounding objects. Symptoms occur when the receptors of the visual or vestibular apparatus are overstrained, or when the head turns sharply. The impetus can be rising to a significant height, motion sickness in a vehicle, changing position, staying in a stuffy room, changes in atmospheric pressure, and also being on your feet for a long time. Along with weakness, nausea sets in, tinnitus occurs, coordination of movement is impaired, and limbs go numb. When the brain is deprived of oxygen, fainting occurs, while the person’s body gradually sinks, blood pressure drops below normal, the skin becomes pale, the pulse slows down, and perspiration appears on the forehead.

Breast sensitivity increases.

Even a slight touch to the mammary glands can cause pain; some women experience colostrum discharge from the nipples. Later, the breasts swell, enlarge, and the nipples darken. These are some of the signs that pregnancy manifests itself in the early stages. You may notice chest tenderness when moving or playing sports. Try wearing loose underwear that doesn't restrict movement. It is worth stopping active physical activity for a while, replacing it with yoga and stretching. Give preference to clothes made from soft materials that do not cause you discomfort.

Causes

There is no serious cause for concern if weakness and dizziness occur infrequently. This is explained by the fact that the body of a pregnant woman undergoes significant physiological changes. First of all, the circulatory system changes - the blood volume increases, the circulatory network grows, and an additional circle of blood circulation is formed. In the last stages of pregnancy, uterine blood flow accounts for 25% of the total blood flow. The body of a pregnant woman works under increased stress, and the production of blood cells increases. Under the influence of hormonal changes, the heart muscle thickens. As a result, the tone of the vascular walls decreases and they relax. Blood flow decreases, which leads to oxygen starvation of the brain, weakness and dizziness. There may be other causes; only an experienced specialist can identify them.

Sudden mood swings.

You woke up in a good mood, but a minute later absolutely everything irritates you? This is not a mental disorder. Until hormonal levels stabilize, constantly changing emotions, a sudden transition from negative to positive, can accompany a woman throughout pregnancy. Explain to your loved ones that now you are more sensitive to everything that happens around you. When your hormonal levels return to normal, you will feel better. This usually happens in the second trimester of pregnancy. If emotional problems bother you too much, be sure to ask your doctor to prescribe you a mild sedative that is not contraindicated for pregnant women.

What causes dizziness during pregnancy?

• A decrease in hemoglobin in the blood, while tissues experience oxygen starvation. The volume of blood circulating in the body of a pregnant woman increases, which leads to a decrease in the concentration of hemoglobin and red blood cells in the blood. This causes dizziness, and the woman often loses consciousness. Similar symptoms arise due to prolonged stay in a zone of low atmospheric pressure. Malfunctions occur in the respiratory system and in the blood hemostasis system.
• Decreased blood glucose concentration. This symptom occurs due to poor nutrition. A woman eats a large amount of sweet food or maintains a long interval between meals. As soon as the sugar concentration increases sharply, there is a sharp release of insulin into the blood, produced by the pancreas.
• Toxicosis. This condition is accompanied by nausea. Weakness appears, blood pressure drops below normal, and vomiting often occurs. A pregnant woman loses a significant amount of fluid, and the required amount of oxygen does not reach the brain.
• Gestational diabetes mellitus. The disease develops as a result of increased load on the pancreas. The problem disappears after the birth of the child.
• Migraine, vegetative-vascular dystonia.
• Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, head injury, circulatory disorders in the brain.
• Flu, ARVI.
• Malfunctions of the respiratory system and vestibular apparatus.
• Increased physical activity, sunstroke.
• Meniere's disease, epilepsy.
• Taking medications. During pregnancy, sensitivity to the effects of components of medications increases.
• Enlarged uterus. During pregnancy, the pudendal vein contracts, and unpleasant symptoms appear in a supine position.
• Preeclampsia. In the last weeks of pregnancy, a pregnant woman's vision deteriorates sharply and tinnitus appears. If you have such symptoms, you should immediately seek help from a specialist.

Changes in the 1st week of pregnancy

Pregnancy is definitely a magical time for every woman. The awareness that a little person is developing inside inspires and endows with new, sometimes completely unexpected qualities. Feeling concern for the well-being of the baby, taking care of him from the first moments of his life, giving your love even at the moment when the baby is still inside the mother’s body - these are natural impulses. But in the first seven days after conception, a woman is unlikely to feel these emotions.

Unusual, but almost imperceptible biological processes take place in her body. An egg fertilized by a sperm is just beginning its journey of transformation. It first moves down the fallopian tube to reach the uterine cavity. This takes time - three to four days. During the movement, it does not stop changing: the number of cells in it increases. And approximately on the seventh or eighth day after conception, the microscopic embryo is “embedded” in the wall of the uterus.

The uterus itself is preparing to receive the embryo. Its structure has not yet changed, so it is impossible to notice external signs of pregnancy in the 1st week, much less an enlarged abdomen. Changes occur only in the mucous membrane of the uterus - the endometrium. It increases in volume and becomes loose to allow the fertilized egg to sink deeply into it and attach to the wall of the uterus. From this moment and over the next nine months, the endometrium will not be rejected, which means that the next menstruation will not occur. The body moves to a new stage - pregnancy.

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What to do to prevent dizziness

Mild dizziness in the first weeks of pregnancy does not pose a threat to your well-being. A pregnant woman should know the reasons for the discomfort and what needs to be done to get rid of the discomfort.

If you feel dizzy, you should immediately lie down with your legs elevated, thereby increasing the blood supply to the brain. Or you can sit down, with your head tilted between your knees. In such positions, the condition of the pregnant woman improves. If the room is stuffy, you need to go out into the fresh air. If at this moment the pregnant woman is on public transport, it is necessary to ask passengers to give up their seats without any embarrassment.

Baby

The body length of the baby at this stage is 28 cm, and the weight is about 340 g. Before this week of pregnancy, the length of the fetus was measured by calculating its length from the crown to the tailbone. After the 20th week, the specialist includes in the concept of growth the length of not only the body, but also the lower limbs.

At this stage of development, the child is quite active, makes numerous movements, since there is enough space in the uterus for him to somersault, push off from the walls, as well as other movements. The baby may smile, grasp the umbilical cord, touch himself, frown, and close his eyes. His facial expressions are quite developed and more pronounced than before.

The skin becomes dense, actively covered with vellus hairs and special lubricant. A large amount of this lubricant is found in the folds. This lubricant prevents the risk of mechanical friction, has bactericidal properties, and ensures optimal passage of the fetus through the mother's birth canal during childbirth.

It is impossible not to note the intensive development of the gastrointestinal tract. Small portions of amniotic fluid, which the child swallows, wash the walls of the intestines and stomach, lead to peristalsis training, and promote intestinal contraction.

At the 20th week, amniotic fluid is processed. The first stool formed in the child’s body is meconium. It has a dark green color. It consists of mucus, water, epithelial cells, and bile. Meconium accumulates in the intestinal lumen. On the first day of birth, it comes out.

Prevention of dizziness

To avoid illness, you should follow simple rules:

• no need to make sudden movements while lying or sitting;
• You should not sit or stand for a long time, periodically you need to change your body position, walk to stretch your muscles;
• hot baths should be avoided;
• the air in the room must be ventilated so as not to provoke dizziness;
• Places where there are large crowds of people should be avoided;
• no need to take long breaks between meals. Meals should be small, at least 4 times a day;
• Visits to the obstetrician-gynecologist should be regular.

Constant fatigue and loss of strength.;

These early signs of pregnancy occur primarily as a result of the body's natural reduction in immune defenses so that the embryo can fully grow and develop. Try to reduce your stress at home and at work and distribute tasks in such a way that you do not get tired. You should not drink a lot of coffee and supplements with a high caffeine content: it depletes the body's internal resources, giving a temporary boost in strength for a short time.

Treatment methods

Treatment is prescribed based on the examination results. If VSD is present, a woman is prescribed sedatives such as motherwort, valerian or mint. To get rid of anemia, drugs that increase hemoglobin are prescribed.

A woman should be careful about her health. The course of pregnancy affects not only the health of the expectant mother, but also the unborn baby. Treatment, like diagnosis, in the case of pregnancy should be selected individually, based on many factors.

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Frequent urge to urinate.

The nerve endings located in the bladder react to even the slightest impact. The growing uterus puts pressure on the bladder during pregnancy, causing a constant desire to visit the restroom. This symptom is often detected at 5-6 weeks of pregnancy after a missed period, but can appear already at the beginning of the first trimester due to individual characteristics. There is evidence that progesterone reduces the tone of the bladder, which affects its physiology.

The appearance of acne.

This symptom is also associated with hormonal changes in the body. Acne can appear even in women who have never suffered from it before. Acne during pregnancy usually disappears when hormonal levels stabilize and no longer bothers the woman. You can often miss this phenomenon, mistaking it for a component of premenstrual syndrome, especially if you have previously been treated for acne. Topical, and especially systemic, retinoids can adversely affect fetal development, so you should stop using these medications if there is a delay.

Toxicosis.

Toxicosis of pregnant women usually appears at 4 or 5 weeks after conception, but nausea and vomiting can begin to bother the expectant mother as early as the first month. Nausea is usually accompanied by weakness, lack of appetite, and headache. These symptoms during pregnancy cause a lot of trouble for the expectant mother, especially if vomiting is repeated and interferes with daily activities. Antiemetics that are not contraindicated for pregnant women are available today at any pharmacy, but you should consult a doctor before using them.

Heartburn.

The appearance of heartburn in the early stages is also explained by changes in hormonal levels. This symptom can occur at the very beginning of pregnancy and does not disappear until childbirth. A feeling of discomfort or burning behind the sternum is provoked by the reflux of acidic stomach contents and usually does not indicate a serious pathology. Drinking chocolate, strong tea and coffee, as well as citrus fruits increases heartburn attacks. You may want to avoid these foods at least during the first trimester of pregnancy. Wearing tight and uncomfortable clothing can also cause heartburn. It is worth monitoring your diet more carefully and avoiding long periods of time between meals.

Increase in basal temperature.

The indicator measured rectally varies depending on the woman’s hormonal background. Basal temperature can indirectly determine both ovulation and pregnancy. In the early stages, the rectal temperature rises, and pregnancy is indicated by the fact that there is no decrease in the value after a few days, as with normal cyclic changes. If this is not your first attempt to find the happiness of motherhood, then you most likely know the rules for measuring basal temperature: the correct value is the one obtained immediately after a night's sleep, without getting out of bed. Stress can affect your test results, so it's a good idea to calm down or take a medication approved by your healthcare provider before going to bed.