What causes leg cramps during pregnancy?

I believe everyone has experienced cramps in life, especially in winter. If the weather is cold, it is easy to get cramps. It is very painful, and the cramps usually occur in the legs or feet. Patients with cramps usually lack calcium. If pregnant women have cramps, it will affect fetal movement. So what is the reason for leg cramps during pregnancy?

1. Lack of calcium in the body. As we know, the calcium needed for the fetal bone growth is entirely dependent on the pregnant mother. Calcium is an important factor in regulating the secretion of muscle contraction, cell division and glands. Low calcium will increase the excitability of nerves and muscles, leading to muscle contraction and subsequent cramps. Since blood calcium levels are often lower at night than during the day, cramps often occur at night.

2. Walking too much or standing for too long during pregnancy will increase the burden on the leg muscles, leading to the accumulation of local acidic metabolic products, which will cause muscle cramps. However, don't think that more sleep is better. Sleeping too long will slow down blood circulation, cause the accumulation of metabolic waste such as carbon dioxide, and may also induce muscle spasms.

3. Cold factors, such as low room temperature at night in winter, the quilt you cover yourself with is too thin or your legs and feet are exposed outside the quilt when you sleep; or a bad sleeping posture, such as lying on your back for a long time, with the quilt pressing on your feet, or your feet against the bed, causing poor blood circulation, which can also cause cramps.

To prevent leg cramps during pregnancy, it is important to supplement calcium

To prevent calcium deficiency, pregnant mothers should pay attention to eating more calcium-rich foods, such as sesame milk, pork ribs, shrimp skin, etc. Kelp is rich in iodine and calcium (kelp stewed with shrimp or kelp rice are both good choices). Eating kelp during pregnancy is beneficial to fetal growth and can prevent and treat muscle cramps.

However, food alone sometimes cannot meet the needs of pregnancy. Therefore, calcium supplements should be appropriately selected as an auxiliary supplement. It is generally recommended to take one calcium tablet per day. If calcium deficiency is obvious, take two tablets per day. Some pregnant women may experience dry stools after taking calcium tablets, and they can use honey water to lubricate the intestines.

Note that you should never use leg cramps as an indicator of whether you need calcium supplements.

In addition, some of the following measures can help pregnant women reduce cramps: avoid walking too much or standing for too long to reduce the burden on the leg muscles. Keep your lower limbs warm when sleeping and do not let your calves get cold. When resting, elevate your feet slightly and stretch your toes upward to relax the muscles in the back of your calves and reduce swelling. Do muscle massage regularly, especially on the legs and feet, to improve blood circulation. You can soak your feet in warm water for ten minutes before going to bed at night. This can not only prevent cramps but also help you sleep, killing two birds with one stone.

If cramps have already occurred, you can get out of bed and land on your heels, or lie flat with your heels against a wall to help stretch your calves and relieve symptoms. We would like to remind all pregnant women that calf cramps cannot be the only indicator of whether calcium supplementation is needed. Some expectant mothers have a better tolerance to calcium deficiency. They may have severe calcium deficiency but not experience cramps.