Suffering from breathing difficulty during pregnancy is fairly common. Studies have shown that about 75% of women who seldom felt out of breath before getting pregnant experienced breathlessness more frequently during pregnancy (1). The signs of breathlessness or difficulty breathing during pregnancy are not something to be worried about. However, if you have any questions related to it, consult your doctor. Read on to know more about the signs of breathing difficulty in pregnancy, its causes, and treatment options.
Is Shortness Of Breath During Pregnancy Normal?
It is common to experience shortness of breath, especially in the third trimester, and also early in the pregnancy. Some women may feel breathless right from the first trimester, while some others experience it in the final trimester (1). If the breathlessness is due to some physical strain like climbing the stairs, then it is completely normal and harmless. But if you have certain medical conditions such as asthma, peripartum cardiomyopathy (a cardiac issue that might occur during pregnancy or immediately after delivery), pulmonary embolism (blockage of an artery in the lungs), then shortness of breath could cause other health complications and might require medical supervision.
Does Shortness Of Breath Hurt Your Baby?
As long as you do not suffer from any other worrying symptoms, feeling short of breath is common and will not harm your baby as they get plenty of oxygen through the placenta. Your deep and efficient breathing will supply your fetus with oxygenated blood.
What Causes Shortness Of Breath In Pregnancy?
Breathing difficulties in pregnancy arise mainly due to the natural changes that the body undergoes to adapt itself for holding a baby. This condition is also called Dyspnea or Dyspnoea (2). Here are a few trimester-wise bodily changes that could lead to breathlessness.
In The First Trimester
The progesterone hormone could be responsible for your breathlessness. This hormone makes your body absorb more oxygen into the bloodstream, thus increasing the lung capacity. Your body will, therefore, get overwhelmed to breathe out excess levels of carbon dioxide.
Though your breathing rate is the same as before your conception, you might take breaths more deeply, and this could be the reason you will feel breathless (3).
Also, in the early stages of pregnancy, the blood volume swells by about 50%, for which your heart has to work harder than before. This makes you breathe more even when you are resting.
In The Second Trimester
The pregnancy hormones, as in the first trimester, allow your body to take more oxygen, thereby stimulating your brain to increase the number and depths of your breaths.
The hormones also may cause swelling of the capillaries in the respiratory tract, making you feel like you are breathing hard.
In the Third Trimester
Your growing baby and expanding uterus pushes the diaphragm (the muscle that lies under the ribcage) up, restricting the amount of space for your lungs and making it hard for them to expand (4).
It might, therefore, make you breathe faster as if you have just run a marathon. It is quite normal and completely harmless to you and your fetus.
You may feel short of breath during the final trimester, especially when you are carrying the fetus high, or there is excess amniotic fluid (5).
You may also go out of breath when you take stairs, carry heavy items, or have gained weight unusually during pregnancy. Shortness of breath can also happen when you are carrying twins or multiples. You need to take as much rest as you can in such cases. Sometimes, breathlessness can indicate underlying health conditions, such as:
Anemia: If you are deficient in iron, you will have low red blood cell count (red blood cells carry oxygen from lungs to rest of the body and return carbon dioxide from the body to lungs). In such cases, your body works harder to provide oxygen for you and your baby. Breathlessness could develop as one of the symptoms of anemia (6). Asthma can be another reason for breathlessness (7), and you should check with your doctor if your breathing problem is due to this condition or pregnancy hormones. If you have breathlessness along with heartburn, racing pulse, palpitations, or cold fingers and toes, it could indicate a serious complication of heart or lungs. You should immediately check with your doctor.
How To Ease Shortness Of Breath During Pregnancy?
1. Practice good posture
A good posture might help in relieving shortness of breath (8). While sitting, keep your chest lifted and your shoulder placed back. This gives enough room for your lungs to expand. While sleeping, prop your body upwards using some pillows, to expand the space in your abdominal cavity, giving you relief. Also, if you are lying by the side, use an extra pillow to elevate your head. Avoid sleeping on your back if you are feeling short of breath or dizzy. Otherwise it is completely okay for you and your baby to sleep in the position you feel comfortable.
2. Change your position
If you feel breathless by being in the same position for long, shift your position to breathe easily. You may stand up straight as it might relieve pressure on your diaphragm.
List a few remedies to relieve shortness of breath during pregnancy.
- As soon as you feel breathless move to a position that helps you breathe easier. 2. Aerobic exercise, began early in your pregnancy, improves the efficiency of both the respiratory and circulatory systems.
Is there any treatment for shortness of breath during pregnancy?
There is no such treatment for shortness of breath during pregnancy but intentional relaxation, and breathing exercises can help you. Sleeping with your head and chest elevated can also help. Paying attention to the right postures while sitting, standing or sleeping is extremely important.
How do pregnant women cope-up with shortness of breath? Will this affect the unborn baby?
Pregnant women should have a comfortable posture to increase the space in the abdominal cavity and get relief from breathing problems. Slow down when feeling breathless. And finally, do not worry too much about shortness of breath: both the mother and the baby would get enough oxygen to stay healthy.
Can shortness of breath be a sign of early pregnancy?
Yes, shortness of breath can be a sign of early pregnancy. There are dozens of early pregnancy symptoms women are not familiar with. Delayed menstruation is considered as the most common indicator, and then they opt for pregnancy test kits. Baby needs oxygen and blood to develop and grow, in the first few weeks after conception sharing your oxygen and blood with baby can cause shortness of breath.
Are upper back pain and shortness of breath common during pregnancy?
It’s quite common for expectant women to be short of breath. Breathing may become more difficult with time as enlarging uterus takes up more space, resulting in pressure against your diaphragm (the muscle below your lungs). This causes pain in the upper back and shoulders. The changes in your body, mainly because of your growing breasts, can also cause ache in the upper back.
Answers by: Dr Helai Gupta
Senior Consultant Obstetrics & Gynecology Paras Bliss, Delhi
3. Slow down
It is advised to listen to your body’s signals and rest whenever you feel like relaxing. When you feel out of breath, try to relax. Just stop what you are doing and take a few deep breaths until you start feeling better. Take a break of about 20 minutes and then resume your activity.
4. Eat healthy food
Right from the moment you plan for pregnancy, try maintaining the ideal weight and fitness levels. If your breathlessness is due to anemia, then eating a healthy balanced diet might prevent breathlessness. Also, a proper diet promotes a healthy weight and eases your breathing.
Include , such as red meat, dark berries, and green leaves, as breathlessness can be one of the symptoms of anemia caused by iron deficiency.
Do not take foods containing excess sugars, fats, and salts.
Increase vitamin C intake as it helps your body absorb iron. Also, beans are great sources of protein. However, consume them, especially the dark-hued ones, in moderation as they affect your body’s iron absorption.
5. Practice breathing exercises
Pregnant or not, breathing exercises might help increase your lung capacity and enable more chest breathing (as abdominal breathing is difficult due to expanding uterus) (9). These exercises might help in reducing hyperventilation during pregnancy (10). You can try this breathing exercise:
Inhale deeply while raising your arms upwards and sides.
Then exhale while bringing back your arms down on sides.
Raise your head while inhaling and lower while exhaling.
Take a long breath into your chest, rather than your abdomen, by placing your hands on the rib cage.
Push your ribs against the hands while you are inhaling deeply. Practice deep breathing so that you can switch to it whenever abdominal breathing becomes hard.
6. Exercise
Lack of fitness might increase your breathlessness. So, try some light exercises, which would allow you to hold a conversation without going out of breath. Your baby should also get enough oxygen while you exercise.
Exercises in early pregnancy can improve your breathing and control pulse rate (10). Confirm with your doctor before you start any exercise program.
If you have not started any activities, it is the right time to start beginner yoga. The stretches in yoga offer room to breathe properly.
Brisk walking and swimming may also increase your ability to breathe deeper and maintain your fitness levels.
These exercises will offer you enough stamina to deal with breathlessness symptoms effectively. However, listen to your body signals and do not overdo any exercise.
Can You Prevent Breathlessness In Pregnancy?
It may or may not be possible to prevent breathlessness during pregnancy, as it is your body’s reaction to accommodate the growing fetus. However, with few precautions you might be able to reduce the intensity of breathlessness.
1. Stay Hydrated
Breathlessness could be due to dehydration. Make sure you are drinking enough water and avoiding beverages like coffee, tea, soda, and alcohol. These drinks might increase your body’s weight and can worsen your shortness of breath by causing palpitations.
2. Avoid Strenuous Tasks
Do not exert yourself by carrying heavy objects or working late in the office. Try to take breaks from strenuous work.
When To Seek Doctor’s Help?
It is common to feel breathless while you are pregnant. But, if you experience any other serious symptoms, you should immediately check with your doctor for remedies. Go to the doctor if you experience any of these symptoms:
Severe breathlessness, along with rapid breathing, chest pain, or rapid heart rate (tachycardia). Severe pain in the chest while taking a deep breath. Bluish tinge on lips and fingertips. Giddiness soon after doing any activity. Breathing difficulty while lying down or at night. A persistent cough, along with fever or coughing blood. A feeling that you are out of oxygen. Feeling of tiredness due to anemia. Breathing problem as a result of asthma or pneumonia.
Beware:
If you do not control asthma during pregnancy, the risks are quite higher for you and your fetus.
Another serious complication called pulmonary embolism, a blood clot in the lungs, can occur, causing breathlessness (11). It requires immediate doctor’s attention.
How Long Will Shortness Of Breath Last?
If you are a first-time mother, your baby drops down to your pelvis around 36 weeks. This is the time when your breathing issues will go away. If you were pregnant before, your baby would not fall until the end of your pregnancy (12).
