Fainting and dizziness during pregnancy – causes and consequences

During pregnancy, dizziness, fainting and dizziness occur – and this is a fairly common phenomenon. Often in women in position there is a feeling of movement of the body or objects around her in space, and there is also a feeling of weakness or overwork.

In this case, symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, salivation, and in some cases, loss of consciousness can be observed.

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The content of the article:

1. Why does a pregnant woman often feel dizzy?
2. How to recognize lightheadedness
3. First aid for loss of consciousness and dizziness
4. When you urgently need to see a doctor
5. Treatment of dizziness and frequent fainting

Causes of dizziness and fainting at different stages of pregnancy – why is a pregnant woman often dizzy?

During gestation, blood circulation in the uterus increases, causing the heart to work with increased stress – this often leads to hypoxia (lack of oxygen).

There are several reasons for dizziness and fainting during early pregnancy:

1. Change in hormonal levels… During pregnancy, progesterone is intensively produced, which affects not only the reproductive system, but also the work of the whole organism as a whole.
2. Toxicosis. During the period of gestation, the subcortical structures of the brain begin to work actively, where the centers responsible for the work of internal organs are located. Vascular spasm can lead to dizziness.
3. Low blood pressure. Hypotension becomes a reaction to changes in hormonal levels, dehydration, or low physical activity. Darkening of the eyes and dizziness may indicate a decrease in pressure.

Physiological dizziness are not a sign of a disease – it is the body’s response to certain factors. They can occur at any stage of pregnancy.

• Sometimes women in a position that are gaining weight quickly, as recommended by a doctor limit themselves in nutrition… In this case, food may not be enough to maintain normal functioning, which leads to the appearance of problems.
• Also, the cause of loss of consciousness or dizziness can be motion sickness in transport… In this case, an imbalance arises between the impulses coming from the visual analyzer and the vestibular apparatus to the central nervous system. Most often, motion sickness occurs in the heat, when the body is intensively losing fluid.
• Often, expectant mothers feel dizzy when sudden changes in body position… In most cases, this occurs after sleep, when a woman gets out of bed: the vessels do not have time to contract, as a result of which the blood drains from the head.

Loss of consciousness and dizziness in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy can be caused by:

1. Anemia. The volume of circulating fluid in the body of the expectant mother increases, so the blood becomes thinner, and the hemoglobin level decreases. The brain can experience oxygen deprivation, which is signaled by vertigo.
2. Increased blood pressure. There are many reasons for hypertension. If a pregnant woman is dizzy, eyes dark, severe nausea, vomiting or swelling appears, the pressure should be measured.
3. Lowering blood pressure… When the expectant mother sleeps on her back, the child presses her weight on the vena cava. Blood circulation is impaired, resulting in dizziness.
4. Gestosis. Changes in hormonal levels lead to a disruption in the work of the cardiovascular system, which can cause eclampsia, accompanied by dizziness, loss of consciousness and seizures.
5. Gestational diabetes. Hormones produced by the placenta can block the action of insulin, making it less effective – which in turn increases blood glucose levels. Often in this case, the pregnant woman begins to feel dizzy. The condition can also be observed with a sharp drop in blood sugar levels.

How to understand that a pregnant woman is in a pre-fainting state?

• Difficulty in orientation in space becomes the main manifestation of dizziness.
• A woman develops pallor of the skin, shortness of breath may occur.
• In some cases, sweat appears on the forehead and temples.
• A pregnant woman may complain of headache, nausea, tinnitus, blurred vision, chills, or fever.

What to do if a pregnant woman fainted or has severe dizziness – first aid to herself and others

If a pregnant woman faints, the following steps must be taken:

1. Lay on a horizontal surface while raising the legs slightly above the head, which will improve blood flow to the brain.
2. Loosen tight clothing, open collar, or remove scarf.
3. If necessary, open a window or door for fresh air.
4. Sprinkle the face with cool water and sniff a cotton swab dipped in ammonia (you can use a bite or essential oil with a pungent odor).
5. You can rub your ears lightly or pat your cheeks, which will cause blood to flow to your head.

The expectant mother should not stand up abruptly, it is necessary to be in a horizontal position for a while. It must be remembered that during a long period of pregnancy, it is not recommended for her to lie on her back for a long time, it is worth turning over on her side.

After the woman’s condition improves, she can be drunk with hot tea.

Attention!

If a pregnant woman does not regain consciousness within 2 – 3 minutes, it is necessary to seek medical help!

First aid for dizziness yourself

• To avoid injury, a woman who is not feeling well should sit down or lean back against a hard surface…
• If necessary, you must immediately loosen tight clothing and ask to open the window to give access to fresh air…
• To cope with the problem will help easy self-massage of the neck and head… Movements should be circular, light, without pressure.
• You can put a compress on your forehead, or wash yourself cold water…
• Also in a light-headed state will help ammonia or essential oil with a pungent smell…

A pregnant woman is often dizzy, she loses consciousness – when to see a doctor and what diseases can be

In some cases, the following pathologies become the cause of dizziness and fainting during pregnancy:

• Diseases of the vestibular apparatus (vestibular neuritis, Meniere’s disease).
• Head trauma.
• Multiple sclerosis.
• Neoplasms in the region of the posterior cranial fossa.
• Posterior cerebellar artery thrombosis.
• Inflammation of the middle ear (labyrinthitis).
• Infectious diseases (meningitis, encephalitis).
• Heart rhythm disorders.
• Diabetes.
• Visual impairment (cataract, astigmatism, glaucoma).
• Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
• Cerebral circulation disorders.
• Vascular atherosclerosis.

Note!

If your head is spinning almost daily, fainting often occurs, blood pressure surges occur, you should seek the advice of a specialist!

You also need to visit a doctor if you have the following symptoms:

1. Nausea and vomiting.
2. Headache.
3. Nystagmus (involuntary vibrations of the eyeballs).
4. Decreased visual acuity.
5. Heavy sweating.
6. Impaired coordination of movements.
7. Frequent and profuse urination.
8. Pallor of the skin.
9. General weakness.

How are dizziness and frequent fainting in pregnant women treated?

Treatment of dizziness and fainting in pregnant women depends on the causes of the pathology.

• The expectant mother needs to monitor nutrition, do not skip meals and refuse to use tonic drinks (coffee or strong tea).
• She should move more, walk more often in the fresh air and do gymnastics.
• In the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy, you only need to sleep on your side, placing a pillow under your stomach.
• If a woman in a position needs to visit places where a large number of people gather, it is recommended to take water and ammonia with you.

With anemia during pregnancy drugs are prescribed to increase hemoglobin (Sorbirfer, Vitrum Prenatal Plus, Elevit). At the same time, foods rich in iron (apples, buckwheat porridge, pomegranates, liver) are introduced into the diet.

With low blood pressure you can use tinctures of Eleutherococcus, Ginseng or sweet tea.

Attention!

The drugs that are used to treat hypertension or high blood sugar levels have many side effects and contraindications, so they must be prescribed by a doctor, after a face-to-face consultation!

If dizziness is accompanied by pain in the abdomen, lower back and bloody discharge from the genital tract, you need seek medical attention immediately! These symptoms may indicate termination of pregnancy or the onset of premature labor.

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