Fainting During Pregnancy

Sometimes, during pregnancy, you may lose consciousness or feel faint. This can happen, especially if you suddenly stand up from sitting or lie down.

Although fainting during pregnancy is usually nothing to worry about, it is important to know that in some cases it may require treatment.

Causes of fainting during pregnancy

When your brain doesn’t get enough blood, a lack of oxygen occurs. You may faint from it. Reasons why you may faint during pregnancy are:

  • If your blood pressure rises or falls
    from overheating
  • If the blood sugar or glucose level drops suddenly
  • If you have anemia,
  • If you lie awake,

In addition, if the size of the stomach increases, it puts pressure on the blood vessels. As a result, the blood supply is interrupted, and you may faint.

Premonition of Fainting

Symptoms you may experience just before passing out

  • Head turning
  • Breathing faster or deeper than normal
  • Sudden profuse sweating and cold hands and feet
  • Ringing or whistling in the ears
  • Blurred vision or spots in front of the eyes
  • Feeling nauseous or sick
  • Repeated yawning
  • Lightheadedness

The brain and heart are at the same level during unconsciousness. So the heart does not have to get very fast to pump blood to the brain. Consciousness usually returns within 20 seconds.

It is normal to feel confused for a while after regaining consciousness. You may also feel weak and tired for up to 30 minutes. You may not even remember what you were doing just before fainting.

In this case, resting for a while will fix it. However, you should inform your doctor about the fainting incident at the next checkup.

What to do if you feel faint

If you feel dizzy or faint, follow these tips:

  • If this happens to you while standing, sit somewhere and read.
  • If the condition does not improve after sitting, lie on one side if there is a bed or sofa nearby.
  • Notify someone nearby so they can help you if needed.
  • If you are wearing tight or warm clothes, take them off or loosen them to allow air to circulate.
  • Ensure ventilation in the room you are in. If you think you might faint, ask someone else to open the door and window of the room without walking too far.
  • Drink water and eat light snacks.

Potential health hazards from falls

You may accidentally get hurt if you fall unconscious. If the injury is severe, it can often be life-threatening for the mother and baby. In that case, the patient should be taken to the emergency department of the hospital immediately.

In addition, loss of consciousness during pregnancy is associated with health risks for the mother and the fetus. For example, mothers who lose consciousness during pregnancy may have a slightly higher risk of premature delivery and birth defects. The problem of an irregular heartbeat or fainting in the mother may increase slightly in the year after childbirth.

Therefore, mothers who are prone to fainting during pregnancy should be closely monitored both during pregnancy and after delivery. However, most mothers who faint during pregnancy usually give birth to healthy babies.

When to consult a doctor

In addition to feeling faint or fainting, it is important to consult a doctor without delay if any of the following symptoms occur:

  • Vaginal bleeding
  • If there is pain in the lower abdomen,
  • If you have chest pain,
  • If breathing is difficult,
  • Chest palpitations
  • Blurred vision or changes in vision
  • If you have a headache,
  • In case of a head or stomach injury due to a fall or unconsciousness for more than 1 minute

Ways to prevent fainting

How you can avoid fainting or feeling faint—

  • Get out of bed slowly. Sit on the side of the bed for a while before standing up.
  • Even if you want to get up from a sitting position, get up slowly.
  • Do not bathe in very hot water.
  • Exit the bathroom slowly and carefully.
  • Do not stand for long periods.
  • Drink plenty of water.
  • Try to exercise regularly.
  • It improves blood circulation in the body and brain.
  • Don’t lie down angry. Avoid lying on your back, especially in the second trimester.

A healthy pregnant woman needs to drink an average of 2–3 litres of water per day. In terms of cups or glasses, you should drink a total of 8–12 glasses of water throughout the day. But if the doctor has given any special advice in this regard, then follow it.

It is not recommended to lie flat on your back during late pregnancy and labor. After 28 weeks of pregnancy, avoid lying on your back while sleeping. Because if you lie like this, the chances of giving birth to a dead child may increase.

Also, never skip a meal—even if you have morning sickness, eat smaller meals regularly. It will not lower your blood sugar level.

Advice for families and loved ones of pregnant women
If you see a pregnant woman fainting, lay her down gently on her left side. Keep his left leg folded toward the chest. (see picture)

If the following symptoms are present, get him to the hospital immediately:

  • If he does not regain consciousness after keeping him in the position shown in the picture for one minute,
  • The patient has convulsions or jerks.
    Suffers serious injuries (especially to the head) while fainting.
  • This was his first fainting incident.
  • If the patient is already taking medication for high blood pressure,

Stay with the patient until an ambulance arrives or until they regain consciousness.

Frequently Asked Question

Dizziness is usually more common in the first trimester of pregnancy. But many may suffer from this problem more or less throughout the pregnancy.

By the end of the first trimester of pregnancy, blood circulation in your body increases about one and a half times. As a result, you may feel overheated and sweaty, as well as dizzy.

About 4.6 percent of women suffer from fainting problems during pregnancy. This is a common symptom that,  in most cases, does not pose any serious risk. However, fainting during pregnancy may be associated with increased health risks for both the mother and the baby. Again, it can appear as a symptom of another serious disease.

That is why you should report the fainting incident to your doctor, take the necessary advice, and watch for any other symptoms besides the fainting.

Pregnant women may faint due to excessive stress. For example, if you experience too much emotional distress or get too angry, there is a possibility of fainting.

Written By Dr. Tanjim Afia
Medical review done by Dr. Samia Afrin

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