How to avoid dizziness and fainting during pregnancy?

The time spent waiting for a baby to be born is the happiest time in any woman’s life. However, in addition to pleasant emotions, the expectant mother is accompanied by some minor annoying troubles. Some of these troubles include dizziness and fainting, the causes of which vary. Very often, dizziness is a sign of pregnancy; it is from this symptom that a woman realizes that she is pregnant.

It’s a rare pregnant woman who can boast that she has never had the feeling that the ground is starting to disappear from under her feet. And more than anything else at this moment, the expectant mother wants to sit down. Moreover, most often, pregnant women complain of dizziness in the early stages of pregnancy much more often than in later stages. Even in the medical literature describing the symptoms of pregnancy, dizziness is one of the first places. By the way, the fact that the first signs of pregnancy are dizziness and weakness is also explained by the hormonal levels of the expectant mother that have begun to change dramatically.

Fainting in early pregnancy is one of the most unpleasant phenomena. And this, in general, can be explained very, very simply - even a huge belly, which makes a woman clumsy, does not cause as much inconvenience as a feeling of nausea, dizziness and weakness. But in the early stages of pregnancy, your “interesting” position is still completely invisible to others. And your pale skin and dilated pupils may go unnoticed by others at that very moment. When you need help most - unfortunately, modern society has almost completely become indifferent and inattentive to the people around them.

But if you suddenly feel bad, and there are no loved ones nearby, be sure to turn to those around you for help, informing them about your condition. In this matter, embarrassment is completely inappropriate - after all, we are talking about the well-being of not only you, but also your baby. After all, you don’t want to spend precious time unconscious without receiving any medical help? And dizziness during pregnancy gives such a chance.

What is fainting?

Very often, people go to various extremes and confuse fainting with severe dizziness and weakness, or even with coma, becoming terribly scared. In fact, neither one nor the other is right. Doctors call fainting a short-term loss of consciousness - literally for a few seconds. A longer period of unconsciousness—several minutes or more—is a serious complication and requires the promptest possible intervention by medical professionals capable of providing professional medical care. This is true not only for fainting - nausea and dizziness during pregnancy can also indicate serious problems.

Fainting never occurs instantly - accompanying syndromes always appear first, such as:

• Feeling of pulsation in temples
• Cardiopalmus
• Dark circles before the eyes, blurred vision
• Increased sweating
• Feeling of chills or, on the contrary, heat

If a pregnant woman does not sit down and relax, a short-term loss of consciousness is possible. This is precisely the main danger of fainting - if no one supports the woman in time, she will fall. And if the fall is unsuccessful. A woman can injure herself and harm the baby, which increases the risk of miscarriage and premature birth.

Danger of fainting

Losing consciousness for a short time is dangerous not only for expectant mothers, but also for any other person. It does not matter what trimester of pregnancy a woman is in. During fainting (2nd trimester), the reproductive system as a whole suffers. Due to temporary stagnation in the blood, the fetus experiences a lack of oxygen. This can lead to the following consequences:

1. Increased risk of bleeding.
2. Manifestation of weakness during childbirth.
3. Weak contraction of the uterus (as a result – endometritis).

If fainting occurs several times during pregnancy, then there is no danger to the unborn child. It would be a good idea to visit your doctor to prevent attacks from happening again.

Medical experts believe that fainting in the second trimester increases the risk of premature birth and miscarriage.

Fainting can be determined independently by symptoms:

1. Extreme fever or chills.
2. Heavy sweating.
3. Change in heart rate.
4. Pallor of the skin.
5. Reduced blood pressure.
6. Dark circles under the eyes.

You should also pay attention to the blue nasolabial triangle and the sensation of pulsation in the temples. To preserve the fetus, it is especially important to know how not to faint during pregnancy.

What's happening?

Of course, such a feeling of malaise is very burdensome and frightening for the expectant mother. And if she still doesn’t know what exactly caused this condition, her anxiety and worry increase significantly - after all, any mother worries about her, even if not yet born, baby.

And, in addition, ignorance of the cause of one’s condition can sometimes lead to complications in the normal course of pregnancy. This happens if the ailments are caused not by physiological changes in the body of a pregnant woman, but by disturbances in the functioning of vital systems and organs. Dizziness and fainting during pregnancy in women can be caused by the following reasons:

• Iron-deficiency anemia

Very often, a pregnant woman feels constantly unwell, dizzy and may faint quite often. In addition, a pregnant woman may complain of a feeling of lack of oxygen, ringing in the ears, the appearance of black spots before the eyes, weakness, increased sweating, and trembling. Moreover, the effects of any external factors, such as stuffiness or large crowds of people, are not associated with this painful condition of a pregnant woman. And the cause may be simple iron deficiency anemia or, in other words, a low level of hemoglobin in the blood, which is responsible for the delivery of oxygen to the body’s cells. Most often, dizziness in late pregnancy is caused by iron deficiency anemia.

It is not difficult to detect the presence of iron deficiency anemia in a pregnant woman - all you need to do is take a blood test. A laboratory blood test will accurately determine the level of hemoglobin in the blood of a pregnant woman and allow the doctor to diagnose the absence or presence of iron deficiency anemia. This condition can be corrected quite simply - based on blood tests, the doctor will select a pharmacological preparation containing iron and the optimal dose for each individual woman. After taking a course of the drug, as a rule, anemia disappears without a trace.

However, pay attention to the following feature of the course of this disease - iron deficiency anemia can occur for a long time without any external symptoms, not manifesting itself in any way until it takes on an advanced form, in which treatment takes more time and requires some effort. This is why it is so important to diagnose the disease in time - for this purpose, a pregnant woman should regularly undergo blood tests.

• Overwork, anxiety and stress

As you know, life does not stop with the onset of pregnancy. And it’s no secret that the modern rhythm of life presents people with a lot of surprises in the form of chronic fatigue syndrome and various stresses. And if there are any problems in the family of a woman expecting a child, the situation worsens significantly.

Nevertheless, these stresses not only provoke dizziness, weakness and even fainting in a pregnant woman, but also threaten the correct harmonious development of the fetus - disruption of the formation and development of internal organs, and the normal growth of the baby. Of course, no expectant mother wants this.

Therefore, no matter how difficult it may be, a pregnant woman should follow the most gentle regimen possible. Try to rest as much as possible, walk in the fresh air, and avoid conflicts as much as possible. Remember that according to Russian law, you have the right to ask for a transfer to light work, without reducing your salary.

• Presence of chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system in a pregnant woman

Very often, women who suffered from any diseases of the cardiovascular system even before pregnancy experience frequent fainting in the early stages of pregnancy. In order to avoid this, a woman who knows about her disease must approach the issue of pregnancy responsibly and begin to prepare for it in advance by undergoing a preventive course of treatment. Otherwise, dizziness at the beginning of pregnancy will become your constant companion.

If, in this case, during pregnancy a woman experiences problems such as dizziness and fainting, she must immediately consult her doctor. Self-medication and ignoring this problem is unacceptable in any case - this jeopardizes the normal course of pregnancy and its successful completion.

• Arterial hypotension

Another very common companion of pregnancy, especially in its early stages, is arterial hypotension or, in other words, low blood pressure. With this disease, a woman’s blood pressure drops to 100 to 60 millimeters of mercury or below. This condition occurs as a consequence of disruption of the cardiovascular system, in particular, a decrease in vascular tone.

You can suspect arterial hypotension in a pregnant woman in the following situation. The woman has a fairly high level of hemoglobin in her blood and definitely does not have any chronic cardiovascular diseases. However, this woman still experiences fainting, and not just once, which can be attributed to random phenomena.

Most often, a woman’s condition worsens significantly in the following situations: a pregnant woman is in a stuffy or crowded room, spends a long time on her feet, takes a hot bath, or simply feels hungry. Even sudden mood swings in a pregnant woman can cause fainting. As a rule, the cause of the malaise is precisely the decrease in blood pressure in the expectant mother.

Pay attention to the following nuance - with low blood pressure, a pregnant woman rarely loses consciousness sharply and suddenly. As a rule, the attack develops gradually. Gynecologists call the following signs of the onset of an attack of hypertension: a woman develops a feeling of weakness, dizziness or headache. And only if the necessary measures are not taken in time, the pregnant woman loses consciousness.

If something similar happens to you, do not rush to panic - as a rule, isolated, rare cases of loss of consciousness do not cause any harm to the health of the mother or the baby. However, it is still necessary to inform the attending physician about this. The doctor will conduct the necessary examination and be able to accurately determine the cause of dizziness and fainting in a pregnant woman. And knowing the cause, in most cases, attacks can be effectively prevented.

In the same case, if you do not do this and do not establish the cause of the malaise, attacks of fainting will continue more and more often, and their duration will constantly increase. And all this cannot but affect the condition of the fetus. Indeed, during loss of consciousness, the oxygen supply to the blood deteriorates significantly and, as a result, can lead to the development of intrauterine hypoxia in the child. That is why a pregnant woman should make every effort to minimize these complications.

Fainting during pregnancy: main causes

Happy are those expectant mothers who enjoy their condition day after day. But, unfortunately, pregnancy often prepares not very pleasant surprises for us. One such test for a pregnant woman is fainting . It would seem, what’s so special about going to the grocery store? But suddenly at the checkout you realize that there is a noise in your ears, dots are flickering before your eyes, your legs become weak, and you quietly slide down to the floor. Of course, fainting is not uncommon during pregnancy. We will talk about why it occurs, how to react to such a condition and how to deal with it in our material today.

Causes of fainting

The following factors may cause fainting in pregnant women::

Hypotension . According to data from antenatal clinics, approximately every tenth expectant mother suffers from hypotension during pregnancy - her blood pressure is reduced, her temperature is low, and her hands and feet are always cold. You should be especially attentive to your condition if low blood pressure made itself felt before the moment of conception. The situation with a decrease in blood pressure during pregnancy is aggravated by hormonal changes in the body, as well as the formation of an additional placental circulation.

Pressure . During pregnancy, the growing uterus puts pressure on nearby blood vessels, thereby disrupting normal blood flow. The vessels of the legs, back and pelvis may have poor blood flow, especially if the expectant mother takes a “lying” position. This fact can also cause fainting, since blood pressure drops due to disruption of blood flow.

Disproportion . During pregnancy, the female body undergoes many different physiological changes, one of which is an increase in the volume of circulating blood in the body by 30-40%. In order to adapt to such a volume of blood, the blood vessels of the body need time, and while the process is in the adjustment stage, the expectant mother may experience fainting.

Anemia . An increase in the volume of circulating blood occurs mainly due to an increase in plasma volume, as a result of which the blood becomes more liquid, so to speak, and the number of red blood cells in it decreases. This fact entails a decrease in hemoglobin, which causes physiological anemia in pregnant women. Signs of anemia, as is known, are a feeling of weakness, fatigue, and fainting.

Reduced blood sugar levels . Often the expectant mother experiences all the delights of toxicosis and cannot even smell the food. Due to long breaks between meals, as well as poor nutrition, blood sugar levels decrease, which provokes fainting.

Our forum member mother Ksenia says : “My fainting is associated with a drop in blood glucose levels. When I don't have breakfast, I feel sick in the morning... And then I fly somewhere, to the doctor or to work. This is where it hits me: it’s dark in my eyes, my fingers are going numb, there’s noise in my ears. All I have to do is sit down and eat something sweet, and I immediately come to my senses.”

In the normal course of pregnancy, the decrease in blood pressure in the first and second trimester is considered physiological . But if the condition does not improve closer to childbirth, and the indicators remain at the critical level of 90/60 mm Hg. Art. or even lower - you must definitely consult a doctor .

Why? Low blood pressure causes trouble not only for the expectant mother, it can lead to oxygen starvation of the baby or premature birth .

Read also : Low blood pressure: what to look for during pregnancy

How to fight

Perhaps, if vegetative-vascular dystonia or hypotension were your old acquaintances even before pregnancy, you have your own, established, individual recipes on how to bring yourself back to normal. However, pregnancy is not exactly the time when you can easily experiment with alcohol tinctures and drink 7 cups of coffee a day. What to do?

There are some simple tips to avoid fainting:

• avoid a motionless state (stand for a long time, for example, in transport, or in a queue, and sit for a long time - for you it could be 3-5 minutes);
• avoid sudden movements (do not suddenly jump out of bed at home, do not get up abruptly from your chair at work);
• do not stay in stuffy rooms (in bank branches or small shops there may be problems with air conditioning, which means it costs as little as possible to stay there);
• eat right (try to eat warm food, eat regularly, eat healthy foods, don’t go hungry, carry a supply of sucking menthol or chocolate candies, cookies, nuts);
• maintain a drinking regime (if possible, regularly drink hot drinks, such as green or herbal teas);
• do not overheat, dress according to the season, try to sit or stand near a source of air in transport, ventilate the room more often at work and at home;
• rest and sleep enough time, do not overexert yourself, avoid physical exertion and psychological stress.

What to do if you still feel the approach of fainting?

• if possible, lie down ; if you are at work or in transport, sit down , even on the floor, and tilt your head down so that blood flows to it;
• turn for help , ask them to sit you down and help you; falling during pregnancy is not the best option;
• ammonia with you - if you feel like you are about to lose consciousness, it can help you come to your senses;
• try to be accompanied by relatives and friends: go to work, travel on public transport, go shopping. If you suddenly feel ill, they will be able to monitor your condition, sit you down, give ammonia, and protect you from falling.

Our forum member mother Leleka says : “I just recently became ill in the supermarket. It was just the holidays, there were a lot of people. I stood at the checkout for a long time - I felt uneasy, I felt nauseous. It gets dark in my eyes... Then I don’t remember what happened. It’s good that I was with my husband, I tell him “I feel bad...” and I fall... In general, I collapsed there under the shelves, he lifted me, carried me out of the store into the air in his arms. People come up and ask, maybe an ambulance? And the husband says - don’t pay attention, she’s pregnant, we often fall like that :-), funny guy. I actually regularly “precipitate” in transport and at work, so I’m already used to it. While my belly is small, no one gives up space, I go to work with my husband, in the evening I go home with my girlfriend, if anything happens, they catch me...”

Of course, if you often feel weak, see spots before your eyes and lose consciousness, you should consult a doctor who is monitoring your pregnancy with this question.

The specialist may prescribe additional tests to understand the cause of this condition, and then prescribe the necessary treatment . Be sure to monitor your blood pressure; if you don’t have a tonometer at home, consider purchasing one.

Sometimes vitamin complexes, natural herbal remedies and phytocomponents are prescribed as medicine for fainting. For example, tinctures of ginseng, echinacea, lemongrass, eleutherococcus and hawthorn. However, taking any medications should only be done in consultation with a doctor.

Read also : Pregnancy week by week: what awaits the expectant mother

Doctors' recommendations

Palyga Igor Evgenievich, obstetrician-gynecologist, reproductive specialist at the Alternative clinic, says:

If a pregnant woman has an established daily routine and diet, and has no chronic pathologies, then the problem of fainting should not affect her.

Most often, the cause of fainting during pregnancy can be dehydration due to toxicosis, vegetative-vascular dystonia, anemia, hypotension, muscular vascular stenosis, existing diabetes or gestational diabetes, overheating, etc. Fainting occurs due to hypoxia - oxygen starvation.

A pregnant woman can usually cope with isolated episodes on her own; persistent fainting requires hospitalization in a hospital.

As a preventative measure, it is necessary to follow a rational daily routine. For hypotensive patients, nighttime sleep should be at least 9-10 hours; during the day, pregnant women are recommended to rest for 1-2 hours. Many women report constant sleepiness. It is caused by the production of progesterone, and if you want to rest during the day, then you need to listen to your body, even if the pregnant woman is working.

In nutrition, the emphasis is on protein foods, diet diversity, and small portions. You can drink green tea in the morning and throughout the day. It is advisable to give up bad habits; visits to the pool, cool showers, and walks in the fresh air are recommended.

For hypotension and vegetative-vascular dystonia, it is recommended to take adaptogens - 15 drops of Eleutherococcus extract, tincture of aralia, lemongrass or ginseng.

If fainting is associated with toxicosis, then efforts must be made to alleviate it, drink more fluids, especially when vomiting.

If anemia is detected, the treating gynecologist should prescribe appropriate medications and give recommendations on foods rich in iron and vitamin C.

For muscular vascular stenosis, a light massage is recommended.

Overheating should be avoided, because a pregnant woman’s body temperature normally increases by 1 degree, again due to the production of progesterone. It is necessary to wear comfortable clothes, preferably made from natural fabrics, and avoid stuffy rooms with a lot of people. On hot days, you need to carry a spray with thermal water to moisturize your face, drink more and stay in rooms with a fan or air conditioning. Taking hot baths is excluded.

If gestational diabetes is detected, the gynecologist or endocrinologist will make his appointments.

Obstetrician-gynecologist of the first category of the clinic Dobrobut Grishchuk Ksenia Aleksandrovna says:

The most common cause is a decrease in blood pressure due to hormonal changes in the body (every tenth woman suffers from hypotension during pregnancy; women who had low blood pressure before pregnancy should be especially attentive to their blood pressure). The pressure of the growing uterus on the blood vessels in the first trimester of pregnancy or the imbalance between the volumes of blood and blood vessels can also lead to dizziness and fainting. Another cause of syncope: a decrease in blood sugar levels (for example, due to long breaks between meals).

But most often, if in the past a woman was dystonic (vegetative disorder syndrome), then during pregnancy the dystonic manifestations worsen.

In these cases, it is possible to use tonics, but during pregnancy with great caution, especially in the first trimester. Therefore, it is necessary to find out, together with a neurologist, the cause of autonomic disorders. This requires further examination. For example, if dystonia is associated with overload of the venous bed, then this condition is easier to treat. During pregnancy, the venotonic “Cyclo3fort” is allowed. For any syncope, an examination is necessary, at least an ultrasound of the cerebral vessels; if this is not possible, then at least an REG. Based on these data, venous dysgemia (venous stagnation) can be established. You can find out about the “readiness of the brain” for syncope by EEG demapping. Fainting is a normal variant and the cause must be determined by prescribing appropriate treatment.

Remember: rational diagnosis and accurate diagnosis are a guarantee of effective treatment. Therefore, all recommendations to a pregnant woman should be given individually based on the results of examinations .

We wish you an easy pregnancy!

Read also : Complications during pregnancy: what an expectant mother needs to know

Low blood pressure

Blood pressure decreases for various reasons. One of the main, most common reasons is the sharply increased load on the entire body of a pregnant woman and in particular on the cardiovascular system. Such a load causes certain changes in the functioning of the heart, which are completely natural and reversible, but can lead to fainting conditions.

The increased load on the heart occurs due to the fact that a pregnant woman’s metabolic processes in the body are significantly enhanced in order for the fetus’s nutritional needs to be fully satisfied. In addition, a pregnant woman’s total blood volume increases noticeably, as an additional placental circulation appears and a natural increase in body weight occurs.

In addition, the enlarged uterus puts pressure on the diaphragm, and creates increased pressure in the abdominal cavity of the pregnant woman. All these factors together have a direct impact on the usual rhythm of the heart. To reduce stress, the body relaxes the heart muscles. This is what ultimately leads to a decrease in blood pressure in a pregnant woman. However, this feature is typical for 6–9 months of pregnancy. Immediately before childbirth, the body mobilizes and, in preparation for the upcoming load during childbirth, returns the functioning of all systems, including the cardiovascular system, to its previous full mode.

Another common reason for low blood pressure in pregnant women is a radical change in hormonal levels, a natural process while expecting a baby. A change in the content of various hormones in a pregnant woman’s blood often leads to a change in the rhythm of work of many vital organs and systems of the body, which in turn leads to a decrease in blood pressure - regular or periodic, depending on the individual characteristics of the body of each particular woman. The causes of dizziness during pregnancy are the same as those of fainting.

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Treatment of fainting

Very often, pregnant women are afraid to report their fainting and dizziness to a gynecologist, believing that they will definitely be hospitalized in a hospital for treatment and preservation of pregnancy. However, this is not entirely correct. Knowing how to avoid fainting is not enough. If fainting conditions are caused by serious health problems, hospitalization is simply necessary - otherwise the life of the child and the health of the mother are at serious risk. In this case, staying at home is the height of negligence and irresponsibility - perhaps not a pregnant woman’s best friend.

If you are absolutely sure that there are no serious abnormalities in your body, and you do not suffer from chronic diseases, and also if your gynecologist gives his consent, you can deal with the problem of fainting at home . However, be prepared for the fact that you are unlikely to be able to completely normalize your blood pressure to “non-pregnant” numbers. And, strictly speaking, it’s not worth it - the main goal that a pregnant woman should pursue is stabilization of her condition and good health.

Below are the main methods for stabilizing a pregnant woman's condition and preventing fainting. All these methods are approved by leading gynecologists and will not cause any harm to either the pregnant woman or her child. However, before you put them into practice, still show your doctor - it is rare, but sometimes it happens that individual characteristics of the course of pregnancy or health conditions may become a contraindication for these methods to eliminate dizziness and weakness during pregnancy.

Physiotherapy

There is a misconception that a pregnant woman should try to rest and lie down more. However, in reality this is not the case at all. After all, pregnancy is not a disease, and a pregnant woman is not a sick person. Such tactics can lead to a variety of consequences, in particular to excessive weight gain and problems during childbirth.

Gynecologists have long noticed a strict pattern - the more active a pregnant woman leads, the easier she tolerates the inconveniences associated with pregnancy, and the easier it is for her to give birth. Of course, we are not talking about a woman placing unbearable, exhausting physical exertion on herself. However, physical activity is simply necessary for the normal course of pregnancy. In addition, it is necessary for the well-being of the expectant mother.

A properly similar set of physical exercises not only tones the body of a pregnant woman, but also has a very beneficial effect on the functioning of the heart muscle, lungs and nervous system, and also maintains normal abdominal muscles, which is important for a pregnant woman. Well-developed abdominal muscles effectively support the expanding uterus, acting as a natural bandage, and also provide an invaluable service during pregnancy.

In addition, in women who exercise during pregnancy, their blood pressure levels return to normal very quickly and the tendency to faint disappears. Thus, exercises will help stabilize the condition of any pregnant woman.

However, under no circumstances choose a set of physical exercises on your own - this should be done by a specialist. Ask your doctor to tell you more about this - your clinic may have special classes for pregnant women. If there are none, your gynecologist will prescribe for you a whole range of exercises that you can do on your own at home.

Also in big cities there are special schools for expectant mothers, where classes are provided for pregnant women. In some of them, pregnant women do gymnastics in swimming pools. However, remember that the activities of such organizations must be licensed by the Ministry of Health. After all, pregnant women entrust to them the most precious thing - the life and health of their children.

Also remember that you can engage in physical therapy only if the pregnancy proceeds smoothly, without any serious abnormalities. Otherwise, therapeutic exercises will have a completely opposite effect and will bring a lot of trouble both to the pregnant woman herself and to the doctors. Below are some cases in which physical activity is strictly prohibited:

• Chronic cardiovascular diseases, leading to circulatory disorders and being in the acute stage. Women with such diseases should exercise only under the supervision of an experienced specialist in the field. Classes should be strictly according to an individual course, selected taking into account the course of the disease in each pregnant woman.
• Lung diseases that are in the acute stage, such as open form of tuberculosis, pulmonary neoplasms, pneumonia, pleurisy of any origin.
• Diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract in the acute stage.
• Threat of miscarriage - increased uterine tone, any type of bleeding, regardless of what caused it. By the way, I would like to note that if a pregnant woman experiences bleeding of any intensity, she needs to seek medical help as quickly as possible - this condition poses quite a big threat.
• Toxicoses of the second half of pregnancy - gestosis.
• Any acute infectious diseases.

Taking decoctions and medications

Even our grandmothers, with such complications, took various decoctions of herbs that have a tonic effect. However, be careful not to change the recommended components yourself, as many other herbs are strictly contraindicated for women during pregnancy. Do not use this decoction under any circumstances if you have previously experienced allergies to any other herbs. In addition, be sure to consult your doctor before taking the decoction.

To prepare a tonic decoction, you will need the following herbs, which can be purchased at the pharmacy:

• Herb St. John's wort
• Dry or fresh strawberry leaves
• Dry or fresh rose hips

These components must be taken in equal parts and crushed. Place three tablespoons of the mixture in a thermos, pour three glasses of boiling water. Close the thermos with a lid and leave the broth for 6 hours so that it infuses properly. After this, use a gauze cloth to strain the broth. A pregnant woman should take it at least three times a day, half a glass, half an hour before meals.

If you are not a fan of preparing various decoctions at home, you can replace them with ready-made drugs that can be easily purchased at any pharmacy without a doctor’s prescription. However, remember that even these harmless drugs can be used by a pregnant woman only after prior agreement with your attending physician - a gynecologist, who can realistically assess the possible benefits and harms of these drugs.

For example, aralia tincture can normalize low blood pressure in a pregnant woman in about one week of use. The recommended dosage of the drug is about 30 drops, which must be dissolved in half a glass of clean cold water. You need to take the tincture twice a day - in the morning on an empty stomach and before bed.

Eleutherococcus extract has approximately the same effect. However, this drug has another pleasant side effect - it increases the level of hemoglobin in the blood of a pregnant woman. This feature is especially effective in helping to normalize the condition of a pregnant woman whose doctor has diagnosed iron deficiency anemia. To achieve maximum effect, take the drug as follows - dilute 10 drops of extract in 100 grams of milk and drink 5 minutes before meals. The tincture must be taken at least 3 times a day.

The drug “Pantocrine”, which includes an extract from deer antlers, can have a very good tonic effect on the body of a pregnant woman. As a rule, there are no contraindications for taking this drug. Doctors recommend that pregnant women take the drug according to the following regimen. You need to take one tablet in the morning and evening, and two at lunchtime. You can take the tablets regardless of meals.

Preventing fainting

In addition to taking tonic medications, it is very important to take other precautions. An exhausted, tired pregnant woman is much more likely to faint than a well-rested and well-slept one. The recommended average daily sleep duration for a pregnant woman is at least 12 hours. In addition, the expectant mother should spend at least 2 hours outdoors - be sure to take a walk.

Water procedures work real miracles - swimming and swimming are very useful for expectant mothers. However, keep in mind that hot baths are strictly prohibited for pregnant women, and when taking a contrast shower, you need to make sure that the water is neither too hot nor too cold.

Be sure to pay close attention to your diet - a pregnant woman should receive all the necessary vitamins, minerals and trace elements necessary for the harmonious development of the unborn baby. It is also very important to include in a pregnant woman’s menu food rich in proteins, which are necessary for the growth of the child.

Also, gynecologists advise a pregnant woman to change her usual meal schedule - meals should be fractional. Reduce the amount of food, but increase the times you eat it. On average, a pregnant woman should eat every two hours. This measure will not only help prevent fainting, but will also relieve a pregnant woman from such an unpleasant pregnancy companion as heartburn.

Ways of fainting and dizziness during pregnancy

Fainting and dizziness can be prevented. Here are some tips that may help:

• eat regularly - avoid long breaks between them, it is better to eat less and more often;
• change position when the woman feels dizzy or may faint - the best sleeping position for pregnant women is lying on her left side with her right arm raised. This way blood circulates better in the body;
• avoid sleeping on your back;
• avoid sudden changes in position - you should get up and sit down slowly, especially when a woman gets out of the bath;
• Avoid hot baths and showers—cooler water may provide relief;
• use dietary supplements;
• Wear casual and comfortable clothes.

If a woman feels she may faint or lose consciousness , she should:

• sit down and bend over so that your head is between your knees, or lie down with your legs raised so that blood flows better to the brain;
• breathe deeply and calmly;
• unbutton clothes;
• drink water or juice;
• open the window and allow air to circulate freely;
• eat something or at least suck on a candy, eat a cookie.

Complications of fainting

As mentioned above, leaving fainting and dizziness without proper attention from the pregnant woman and gynecologists will only aggravate the situation and lead to the development of all sorts of, often quite formidable, complications of the normal course of pregnancy. Toxicosis of the first and second halves of pregnancy, the threat of spontaneous abortion, intrauterine hypoxia, miscarriage and premature birth - this is only the main, but far from complete, list of possible threatening conditions for a pregnant woman.

Also, very often, obstetricians and gynecologists during childbirth in those women who suffered from dizziness and fainting during pregnancy note a number of characteristic complications. Firstly, amniotic fluid comes out either too early or too late. Secondly, such a phenomenon as weakness of labor is very often diagnosed. And finally, bleeding - they can occur both during childbirth and in the early postpartum period. The peculiarity of women with low blood pressure is that even a relatively small loss of blood can lead a woman to such a state that she will need the help of resuscitators.

The postpartum period in women with low blood pressure is also often complicated by various factors. Discharge after childbirth in such women continues longer than usual. This happens due to the fact that the uterus does not contract effectively enough. And, in addition, various inflammatory processes in the uterine cavity are often encountered - in particular, acute postpartum endometritis.

First aid for fainting

However, sometimes a pregnant woman still faints, despite all the preventive measures taken. And therefore, it is very important to know how emergency care is provided correctly if a pregnant woman faints. It is very important for the relatives and friends of a pregnant woman to know this information, since most often they are the ones who have to provide first aid.

The most important thing that needs to be done immediately is to lay the unconscious pregnant woman on a horizontal surface so that her head is at the same level as her heart, but in no case higher. Free the pregnant woman from oppressive clothing - unbutton the collar, untie the belt.

Be sure to always keep ammonia on hand in your first aid kit - if the pregnant woman has not regained consciousness after one minute, you can sniff a cotton swab soaked in ammonia. Under no circumstances should you sniff a jar of ammonia - this can cause a burn to the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx. And if a woman has severe dizziness during pregnancy, there is no need to use ammonia.

After the woman comes to her senses, it will be very useful to give her 30 drops of cardiomin and drink hot tea with lemon, which also has a good tonic effect. Be sure to inform your gynecologist about the incident and, if he deems it necessary, seek help from a medical facility. After all, it is not always when a woman faints that first aid is the only thing necessary.

If a pregnant woman suddenly feels acutely unwell - dizziness, lightheadedness, ringing in the ears, blurred vision - she needs to try to lie down as quickly as possible, or at least sit down if this happens outside the home. Under no circumstances should you be shy - ask for help from the people around you, telling them that you feel bad - no one will refuse help to the expectant mother; emergency care for fainting is very important.

Causes of fainting

There are many reasons why people faint, and almost all of them are associated with a sharp decrease in the intensity of blood flow in the brain. Among the most common causes of loss of consciousness are disorders of the nervous system (50% of all cases) and heart pathologies (25%). Also, immediately before unconsciousness may:

• vascular function is impaired due to a pre-stroke condition, atherosclerosis;
• increased pressure in the vessels of the skull due to hydrocephalus, tumor, hemorrhage;
• the amount of sugar and oxygen in the body decreases, which occurs with kidney pathologies, hypoglycemia, anemia;
• decreased circulating blood volume due to bleeding.