During the last three months of pregnancy, many women notice a significant difference in their breathing. Shortness of breath during pregnancy is completely normal.

 

Reasons for shortness of breath in the last trimester

The increased level of progesterone (corpus luteum hormone) ensures a higher body temperature and faster breathing rate.

As the ribs expand outwards, the diaphragm has to be stretched and becomes less flexible. The reduced ability of the diaphragm to move means that the lungs try to take deeper breaths.

The expanding uterus pushes the organs onto the diaphragm so that the lungs have less room when trying to breathe in more air.

The baby's growing body exerts a lot of pressure on the inside of the body, so it's no wonder that pregnant women are quickly out of breath and get dizzy easily.

Relief from shortness of breath

The shortness of breath of the heavily pregnant woman can be eased somewhat to reduce dizzy spells and other unpleasant incidents.

Do not get up too quickly from a lying or sitting position so that the blood flow can gradually adjust.

Avoid overheating, especially in summer. One of the most common moments of dizziness occurs when getting out of a hot bath. The blood circulation cannot adjust the blood volume if the temperature changes too quickly, so dizziness can occur.

Make sure your diet contains complex carbohydrates so that the energy from food is released slowly. This prevents excessive fluctuations in sugar levels.

If you have an acute attack of dizziness, sit down and hold your head between your knees or lie down with your legs raised. This allows the blood to flow back to the head more quickly.