Why does dizziness occur during early pregnancy? This is a common question. We will understand it in more detail.
Dizziness with nausea, ringing tinnitus and weakness in the body are most often signs of a near-onset of fainting. A sharp deficit of oxygen, and, in addition, nutrients that do not enter the brain due to impaired blood flow, cause dizziness, which can cause a pregnant woman to lose consciousness. To avoid dizziness during pregnancy, you need to know the causes of their appearance, as well as be aware of existing ways to prevent such a dangerous condition. We will talk about all this below.
What are the main reasons?
Expectant mothers should know that if the head was often dizzy before pregnancy, then during gestation, things can go even worse, because from now on the body is affected by an additional load. If before the onset of pregnancy the cause of dizziness was not found, then you can try to figure out yourself what could provoke this condition before. So, the following factors are possible causes of dizziness during pregnancy:
- The development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
- The presence of a brain tumor.
- The presence of diseases of the vestibular apparatus.
- The presence of internal bleeding.
- The formation of multiple sclerosis.
- The development of diabetes.
- The presence of intracranial pressure.
- The appearance of otitis media and diseases of the inner ear.
In the event that a woman does not suffer from the above pathologies, then the nature of the origin of her dizziness is directly related to her new "position" of the body. For each trimester, there are reasons for their appearance. At first, dizziness during pregnancy can occur from conception and periodically manifest in the future.
Dizziness in the first trimester
In the first months of fetal development, the head of the expectant mother may be spinning for natural reasons. For example, with strong stuffiness and being in a poorly ventilated place or in a public transport cabin. Indeed, under such conditions, the body may not receive the amount of oxygen it needs.
The same applies to high air temperatures. Heat can contribute to overheating and poor health. The vessels of the body in this case can expand, thereby lowering the pressure, which leads to a lack of oxygen. In addition, with the onset of pregnancy, hormones are produced that reduce pressure, thereby contributing to the appearance or increase in the frequency of dizziness.
Body adaptation
But the main cause of dizziness during pregnancy in the first trimester is a failure in the adaptive mechanism of the female body. A woman reacts to hormonal changes as a result of a pregnancy and most often this happens in the form of so-called toxicosis. The most common symptoms are weakness along with dizziness, nausea and vomiting.
Need to inform the doctor
As a rule, with the appearance of dizziness in the first trimester, there is no need for medical intervention and concomitant treatment. But the obstetrician-gynecologist who leads the pregnancy should be informed of such ailments.
You should pay attention to the fact that if there is weakness along with dizziness during pregnancy, bleeding or brown discharge from the genital tract, then these may be signs of an ectopic pregnancy or a threat of miscarriage. In this case, you need to urgently call an ambulance and inform the dispatcher of concerns. In such a situation, a woman needs hospitalization. Timely treatment will help save the life of the unborn child.
Why do dizziness and nausea occur during pregnancy in the 2nd trimester?
In the second trimester
In the absence of certain health problems, dizziness can be observed due to a long stay without movement. A sedentary lifestyle contributes to poor circulation, so a sharp attempt to rise is accompanied by dizziness along with darkening in the eyes. But there are more serious causes of dizziness during pregnancy in the second trimester.
Oxygen starvation
For example, the development of oxygen starvation of the brain in a woman. As the fetus grows, there is an increase in the surface of the uterus. This in turn requires additional blood flow. Immediately prior to conception, blood flow was insignificant and amounted to only two percent. With the growth of the baby, this indicator increases many times, and by the time the second trimester is completed, blood flow in the uterus is almost a third of the total blood circulation. In this regard, other organs and especially the brain receive much less oxygen, because of this dizziness appears along with darkening in the eyes and so on.
Anemia
The next reason is anemia of pregnant women, which is manifested by a decrease in hemoglobin level. Normally, in parallel with an increase in the volume of circulating blood, an increase in the number of red blood cells should also be carried out. But due to some factors that impede the normal absorption of substances and iron from the digestive system, hematopoiesis is disturbed. Against this background, anemia can occur, as a result of which, the mother and the child are faced with the threat of hypoxia and the accompanying malaise.
Another factor is impaired glucose tolerance against gestational diabetes. This type of diabetes is observed only in pregnant women and it passes immediately after the birth of the baby. This form of diabetes appears when the mother’s pancreas does not withstand the extra burden of insulin production. Why is this happening? Hormones of a pregnant woman increase sugar levels. The pancreas, in turn, must produce enough insulin to adjust the amount of sugar, but it happens that it fails, and the expectant mother observes “pregnant diabetes,” which can also lead to dizziness. To determine it, all women are supposed to take a urine and blood test for sugar content.
There are other causes of dizziness during pregnancy.
Dizziness in the third trimester
At this time, dizziness may occur due to prolonged lying down on the back. An enlarged uterus constricts blood vessels, especially the inferior vena cava, thereby disrupting the general blood flow. In this regard, in the third trimester, doctors recommend lying on their side while resting. In addition, a special pillow designed for pregnant women will contribute to the correct position of the body.
In addition, in the later stages of dizziness may occur as a result of prolonged upright position, for example, due to bursts or a long walk. In this case, an excessive flow of blood to the lower part of the body occurs, which leads to a decrease in brain nutrition.
Another type of severe dizziness during pregnancy is caused by a sharp decrease in glucose. This happens for three reasons:
- Rare food.
- Excessive consumption of elemental carbohydrates, such as cakes, sweets and other sweets.
- Severe vomiting due to toxicosis, which can be observed during the entire period of pregnancy.
Darkening in the eyes due to a sharp change in body position is mistakenly considered dizziness. In fact, this refers to a fainting state. During a sudden movement, the blood does not have time to enter the brain. An increase in blood volume during pregnancy leads to an increase in this phenomenon.
By the end of this trimester, from 38 weeks, pregnant women complain of dizziness. This is due to the fact that the body is preparing for a quick birth, blood, in turn, rushes down, which causes oxygen starvation of the brain, provoking dizziness in the later stages. In the event that there is no strong drop in pressure with fainting, then this is a temporary malaise, which should not cause concern.
There is dizziness during early pregnancy.
Dizziness as a sign of pregnancy
Appearing drowsiness with weakness and frequent cases of dizziness may be the first signs of pregnancy. More often this is typical for women with regular emotional overload, overstrain, and, in addition, anemia and various vascular pathologies. In addition, from the first days of pregnancy new capillaries form in the pelvic area, an additional blood flow appears, which is aimed at increasing blood circulation in the uterus.
But not always the female body has time to rebuild, and as a result, the blood supply process can fail, directing a large amount of blood to the pelvis, causing its excessive outflow from the brain. After a short period of time, as the proper functioning of the circulatory system is established, dizziness can pass without a trace, or remain insignificant throughout the entire period of pregnancy.
Treatment
With the normal course of pregnancy, this symptom is not dangerous, therefore, no treatment is required. They apply measures in only three situations: the appearance of dizziness during pregnancy in the second trimester against the background of the development of anemia, with low pressure and in the presence of gestational diabetes. Only the manifestation of diabetes along with severe anemia may require the use of medications. As for mild signs of anemia, they can always be corrected with iron-containing products.
Reduced pressure during dizziness during pregnancy (second trimester) is increased by regular but moderate intake of black tea or coffee. And with dizziness caused by vegetovascular dystonia, in order to normalize well-being, it is recommended to take sedative drugs that are allowed for pregnant women, for example, valerian or motherwort tablets.
To normalize glucose, you should eat regularly, without skipping breakfasts and snacks. Servings should be small, but substantial enough. This will help to avoid spikes in blood sugar. As for starvation, it is contraindicated. It is very important to minimize the use of sweets or better to completely abandon them.
All other options for dizziness require preventive measures, and therapy as such is not subject to. Nevertheless, the occurrence of dizziness of any nature indicates the need to observe certain precautions.
How to prevent weakness and dizziness during pregnancy?
Prevention
Compliance with certain rules will help reduce the frequency of dizziness. So, you should avoid stuffy rooms, travel in crowded public transport. You need to regularly ventilate the room, take walks in the park area and just more often to be in the fresh air. It is very useful to do gymnastics for pregnant women. Do not make sudden movements, trying to move slowly and smoothly.