Why do pregnant women have leg cramps in the middle of the night?

When a woman is pregnant, if she experiences cramps, she must improve the condition in time, otherwise it will have a great impact on her body. Moreover, this type of cramp is different from usual ones. It lasts longer and is more difficult to relieve. Therefore, when such a situation occurs, pregnant women must choose an improvement method that suits them. So what causes pregnant women to have leg cramps in the middle of the night? This is something that many people don't quite understand.

Why do pregnant women have leg cramps in the middle of the night?

1. Muscle fatigue: It can be said that more than half of pregnant women will experience leg cramps when sleeping at night, and the cause of cramps is closely related to leg muscle fatigue. During pregnancy, the fetus continues to grow and its weight continues to increase. If pregnant women stand or walk for a long time during the day, it will cause excessive fatigue of the leg muscles, and leg cramps will occur when they sleep at night. Moreover, as the weight of pregnant women continues to increase during pregnancy, the work of supporting the body weight with the legs is in an overloaded state for a long time, so the leg muscles are more prone to fatigue, which can cause cramps.

2. Cold calves. In addition to the above factors, cold calves are also the cause of leg cramps in pregnant women when they sleep at night. In addition to cold hands, if the calves are compressed during sleep, leg cramps can also occur. When these conditions occur, they can be relieved through massage, or by slowly straightening your legs. Menstrual cramps can also be well relieved.

3. Calcium-deficient pregnant women not only need a lot of calcium during pregnancy, but the growth and development of the fetus also requires sufficient calcium, especially in the second trimester of pregnancy, when the fetus needs more calcium. Experts point out that pregnant women in the second trimester should need about 1,200 mg of calcium per day to ensure the functioning of the pregnant woman's body and the development of the fetus. If a pregnant woman experiences leg cramps in the second trimester, in addition to leg muscle fatigue, a large part of the reason is calcium deficiency.

Especially for some pregnant women who suffer from frequent cramps, this situation indicates a lack of calcium in the body, so they should pay attention to supplementing it through food. In addition to eating more calcium-rich foods in their daily lives, pregnant women can also supplement adequate calcium by basking in the sun. Sunbathing can promote the synthesis of vitamin D in the human body, thereby improving the body's efficiency in absorbing calcium from food.

After understanding why pregnant women get leg cramps in the middle of the night, we must take precautions against these situations. Women should not catch cold during pregnancy. During pregnancy, women should wear more warm clothes and choose thick shoes to avoid leg cramps. At the same time, the diet should also be reasonable, which will be of great help to both themselves and the fetus.