Is it normal to have swollen legs and feet at 38 weeks of pregnancy?

During pregnancy, we say that you should pay attention to controlling your weight. The weight gain during the entire pregnancy should not exceed 30 kilograms. However, in the late pregnancy, especially before the birth, some people find that they have not eaten anything, but their legs have suddenly become a lot fatter, and there is a dent when pressed, and it takes a long time to bounce back. This is because of edema. When you go for a prenatal check-up, the doctor will take off your socks and press your feet to check for edema. So is it normal to have edema in the late stages of pregnancy? How can it be improved? Let's briefly introduce it below.

Edema is a common phenomenon in the late pregnancy. Most of them are physiological. This is because the enlarged uterus compresses the lower limbs, and the venous blood flow back to the lower limbs is not smooth, so edema occurs. It will improve a lot after lying down and sleeping at night. Therefore, in most cases, the edema is lighter in the morning and more serious at noon. When you sit down, you can lift your feet up, which can make the blood flow back better and improve the edema.

In addition to physiological edema, there is also a kind of edema that belongs to physiological edema. This kind of edema is relatively serious. For example, if you wake up after a sleep and find that the edema has not improved at all, it is recommended to go to the hospital for a check-up. Check whether the blood pressure exceeds the standard. If the high blood pressure during pregnancy exceeds 140, you must pay attention to avoid gestational hypertension, which is very dangerous and may even seriously endanger the lives of pregnant women and children in severe cases.

Therefore, mild edema in the late pregnancy is a normal physiological phenomenon. Most pregnant women have it. This is caused by the uterus compressing the lower limbs, which can be improved after rest. In normal times, you should also pay attention to your diet and avoid eating foods with too much salt. You can drink some water soaked in corn silk in moderation, which can help diuresis. However, if the edema is very serious, it is best to go to the hospital for an examination.