Why are my hands swollen at 34 weeks of pregnancy?

Everyone knows that pregnancy is very hard, especially in the late pregnancy. Many people experience swollen hands in the late pregnancy. If there are no other discomfort symptoms, swollen hands in the late pregnancy is generally a normal phenomenon. Because everyone's physical condition is different, some people begin to experience edema in the twenty weeks of pregnancy. If the swelling of the hands is severe, you must seek medical attention in time, as it may be caused by other diseases.

The main reason for hand swelling in late pregnancy is that the enlarged uterus compresses the veins, causing obstruction of venous return.

In addition, there are many other reasons for edema, such as increased hormone secretion from the placenta and aldosterone from the adrenal glands, which cause sodium and water retention in the body; water accumulates in the body and the corresponding decrease in urine volume; the mother has severe anemia, low plasma protein, and water seeps from the blood vessels into the surrounding tissue spaces, etc.

So what should pregnant women do if their hands are swollen?

Swelling of the hands in the late pregnancy is mostly a normal physiological phenomenon and does not require special treatment. You can raise your arms and do appropriate exercise. It is best to take off rings and other jewelry on your hands to allow your hands to move better. Until the baby is born, the problem of swollen fingers of pregnant women will gradually subside.

In addition, pregnant women also need to adjust their work and daily life rhythm. Make sure you get enough rest and sleep, and avoid being too stressed or overworked. It is best to rest for half an hour after each meal, two hours in the afternoon, and sleep 9-10 hours every night. If there is no condition to lie down and rest at the workplace, you can raise your legs and place them on a chair after lunch, taking a semi-sitting position.

Pregnant women should dress comfortably and avoid tight clothing to avoid affecting blood circulation. If your health condition permits, you can engage in appropriate physical exercise, such as swimming, which is beneficial in reducing edema. Pregnant women should also avoid emotional excitement and avoid strenuous or prolonged physical labor.

Most physiological edema will gradually improve after rest and adjustment. If the edema does not improve after the above treatment, and the weight increases rapidly, and symptoms such as high blood pressure and proteinuria appear, it is possible that you have gestational hypertension and you need to go to the hospital immediately for relevant examinations and active treatment.

Swelling of the hands during pregnancy may be a normal physiological phenomenon. During normal pregnancy, due to increased capillary permeability and increased circulation in the body, mild edema may occur, such as eyelid edema, and may also affect the face, hands and feet. After the second trimester of pregnancy, the enlarged uterus compresses the pelvic veins, which can cause poor venous return and edema.

The characteristics of normal pregnancy edema are that the edema is mild, improves after rest, and there is no proteinuria, hypertension, etc.

In addition, edema may also occur during pregnancy-induced hypertension, usually after 24 weeks of pregnancy, and is more common in primiparas. The edema is often obvious, does not subside after rest, and tends to worsen. It is often accompanied by proteinuria, increased blood pressure, etc.

Therefore, when edema occurs during pregnancy, relevant examinations should be carried out to rule out the possibility of gestational hypertension.