Shortness of Breath During Pregnancy

Shortness of breath is one of the problems caused by various changes in your body during pregnancy. It is not unusual to have such shortness of breath during this time. But sometimes your heart and lung disease can also be responsible for it. In that case, the test must confirm it.

Shortness of breath can make you uncomfortable as well as disturb your sleep. This article explains what to do and when to seek emergency treatment for shortness of breath during pregnancy.

How do you know you are short of breath?

Pregnant mothers describe shortness of breath as:

Can’t breathe normally. It takes more effort to breathe.
The throat and chest feel tight.
Feeling like you are not getting enough air or oxygen—that is, not being able to breathe fully.

Pregnancy Time:

Many reasons can cause shortness of breath during pregnancy. So you can have shortness of breath in almost all trimesters, depending on the cause.

Hormonal changes in early pregnancy alter breathing. During this time, you may also feel that you need extra oxygen from your extra fatigue.

As your uterus grows during mid-pregnancy, your respiratory and circulatory systems undergo several changes. This can cause you to have shortness of breath.

Again, at the end of pregnancy, breathlessness can increase a lot. Between 31 and 34 weeks, your growing baby takes up a lot of space. The growing baby puts pressure on the diaphragm, the breathing muscle between the chest and abdomen, causing shortness of breath.

However, in the last week of pregnancy, your shortness of breath may decrease slightly. Because during delivery, your baby starts to descend a bit. The result is a little extra room to breathe.

Cause:

The following factors can cause shortness of breath during pregnancy:

Growing uterus: During pregnancy, the growing uterus puts pressure on the abdomen. As a result, there is some pressure on the upper lungs. This narrows the oxygen exchange space in the lungs. Due to this, it is somewhat difficult to breathe.

Hormonal changes: During pregnancy, the number of several hormones in your body increases. The progesterone hormone is one of them. When the level of progesterone increases in the body, it increases the normal rate of breathing. As a result, many people experience shortness of breath. Generally, the level of progesterone hormone in the body increases from the beginning of pregnancy, so many people may start having shortness of breath.

Multiple pregnancies: Having twins or more than one baby will make your uterus take up more space. In that case, your lungs will have less room to expand, and this can lead to shortness of breath.

Excess weight gain: Gaining excess weight during pregnancy can also lead to various health complications. Breathing is one of them.

Other diseases: Apart from pregnancy-related reasons, you can also have shortness of breath due to various diseases. Eg: anemia, pre-eclampsia, pulmonary embolism, asthma, pneumonia, COVID-19.

Apart from this, the following factors can also be responsible for your shortness of breath:

Allergy
Worried
Thyroid problems
If an object becomes lodged in the airway for any reason,

If you have shortness of breath for any reason during pregnancy, you should consult a doctor immediately.

Treatment

If you are not suffering from any other disease or problem, you may not need any special treatment. But tell your doctor about any problems or discomfort you have with breathing during the pregnancy checkup.

During this time, the doctor will observe the following points:

Check your heart rate and breathing rate.
Give an idea of what kind of exercise or activity you should do.
If there is another disease behind your shortness of breath, diagnose it and treat it accordingly.
Answer any questions you have about breathing difficulties.
If necessary, you will be referred to a specialist doctor.

Prevention:

Shortness of breath due to pregnancy is usually not preventable. But if you feel short of breath, you can get relief by adopting the following home remedies:

Calm yourself: Worrying about anything can aggravate shortness of breath. So try to calm yourself first if you are short of breath.

Slow down any activity: If you are short of breath due to heavy work or exercise, stop the activity first. Take breaks between tasks.

Change position: Sit up straight. Lean on your shoulders if necessary. If you feel pressure in your chest, this may reduce it a bit.

Note the posture: If you feel short of breath, keep your hands above your head for a while. This will reduce the pressure on your ribs and make it easier for you to breathe.

Sleep in the right position: While sleeping at night, sleep with the head slightly elevated from the waist with an extra pillow. Such a condition is called a ‘propped up position’ in medical language. This reduces the pressure on your lungs while sleeping.

Do breathing exercises: Breathing exercises help you breathe deeply. Besides this, you will be very relaxed.

Watch your weight: Follow your doctor’s advice to lose excess weight during pregnancy. During your pregnancy checkup, your doctor will tell you how much weight gain is normal for you. Keep the weight under control accordingly.

State of Emergency

If you have mild shortness of breath while doing something (e.g., climbing stairs or lifting something heavy), see if it subsides after resting. If you do not get better after rest or if you have one or more of the following symptoms, treat it as an emergency and seek immediate medical attention:

If you have severe shortness of breath,
Cough with shortness of breath
Inability to finish a full sentence while speaking
Shortness of breath with chest pain
If you have shortness of breath with a fever
If your hands, toes, and lips start turning blue
Swelling of the face and stomach with difficulty breathing (may be due to allergies)
Sudden onset of shortness of breath

Frequently Asked Question

Is shortness of breath normal during pregnancy?

Shortness of breath is normal for many mothers during pregnancy. About 60 to 70 percent of healthy expectant mothers may experience shortness of breath during pregnancy. But in some cases, you may have shortness of breath as a symptom of a heart or lung disease.

Shortness of breath during pregnancy is harmful to the baby?

Pregnancy-only shortness of breath may be a little uncomfortable for you, but it’s not that bad for your unborn baby. Even if you experience difficulty breathing during pregnancy, the placenta or uterus regularly supplies oxygen to your baby’s body.

When can breathlessness start during pregnancy?

Shortness of breath can start early in pregnancy. But it becomes more normal as the time of delivery approaches.

Breathlessness during pregnancy can be up to how many days?

Pregnancy can cause shortness of breath that may last until delivery. After delivery, your breathing will return to normal. It starts to subside, especially in the third trimester of pregnancy, between 27 and 40 weeks.

Can the inhaler be used for breathing problems during pregnancy?

If you already have asthma or experience shortness of breath and use an inhaler, you can safely continue its use during pregnancy. Because inhaler use is generally safe during pregnancy, However, caution should be exercised to avoid using inhalers more than necessary.

What can be done if there is breathing difficulty during pregnancy?

Various strenuous activities (e.g., climbing stairs or carrying heavy objects) can cause shortness of breath. Avoid doing any heavy work in that case. But daily essentials like light work and walking can be done with rest.

Written By Dr.Sabrina Mansoor
Medical review done by Dr. Samia Afrin