How much swelling is normal during pregnancy? How to relieve physiological edema during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, there will be different degrees of edema, especially after 28 weeks of pregnancy, when the uterus has become larger, which will affect venous return and cause edema. The first thing to rule out is pathological edema, such as whether there is gestational hypertension and other diseases. So what is the normal degree of edema during pregnancy?

What is the normal degree of swelling during pregnancy?

When edema occurs during pregnancy, you need to first determine whether it is pathological or physiological edema and observe your edema level:

First-grade edema: depression below the ankle when pressed

Secondary edema: depression below the knee

Grade 3 edema: depression when pressing below the thigh

Grade 4 edema: edema of the face and below

If you have edema of level 2 or above, you need to rule out pathological edema first. If it is determined to be physiological, you can relieve edema by doing the cane pose in yoga, soaking your feet, or eating diuretic foods, such as winter melon.

How to relieve physiological edema during pregnancy

1. Get enough rest.

The best way to eliminate edema is to rest quietly, because when a person rests quietly, the burden on the heart, liver, and kidneys will be reduced, and edema will also be reduced or disappear.

2. Pay attention to your diet

After pregnancy, the body's ability to regulate salt and water levels declines. In the late pregnancy, try to eat less salty food, which can easily aggravate edema and lay the foundation for future breastfeeding. In addition, eat less spicy and strong-tasting food, and eat light food. Eat more foods rich in high-quality protein, such as lean meat, eggs, fish, milk and dairy products, soy and soy products, etc. Eat more foods rich in vitamin C and vitamin E, which have a diuretic effect and can relieve edema to a certain extent. Of course, you should also control your water intake in the late pregnancy.

3. Change your posture

Due to the pressure of the uterus, edema will occur. If you try to stick to one posture, it will easily aggravate the edema. Therefore, in the late pregnancy, in addition to proper rest, you should also change your posture more often, not just the sitting posture. Sometimes you should stand up and walk after sitting for a long time, and lie down to rest when you are tired. When the body is relaxed, edema can also be relieved.

4. Raise your feet

If edema is severe in the late pregnancy, it will affect the sleep quality of pregnant mothers. At this time, you may want to try the method of raising your feet. Put a cushion on your feet, about 15 degrees, and raise your legs for 15 to 20 minutes. This can play a dual role in accelerating blood return and reducing venous pressure. Edema can be improved, and the occurrence of diseases such as varicose veins in the lower limbs can be prevented in advance. If you still insist on working during the day, you may wish to put a small stool under your desk, which is quite effective.

5. Proper massage

When edema is more severe in the late pregnancy, appropriate massage can help promote blood circulation and relieve edema. If the pregnant mother cannot do it herself, she can ask her husband for help.

When does edema begin in pregnant women?

Most pregnant women will experience swelling of their hands and feet sooner or later during pregnancy, which is called "pregnancy edema". Pregnancy edema is caused by the fluid components in the blood vessels leaking out of the blood vessels and accumulating in the interstitial space. Generally speaking, pregnancy edema is prone to occur after 28 weeks of pregnancy. At this time, the pregnant mother's uterus has reached a certain extent, and it is also possible that venous return is caused by compression. Therefore, if there is an obstruction in the process of venous return, it is more likely to cause lower limb edema at this stage.

In addition, during pregnancy, the hormones secreted by the placenta and aldosterone secreted by the adrenal glands increase, causing sodium and water retention in the body, water accumulation in the body, and a corresponding decrease in urine output. Some pregnant women also have severe anemia, low plasma protein, and water seeping from blood vessels to the surrounding tissue spaces, which can all lead to edema.

The most common is physiological edema, which gets worse at night and eases in the morning. This is due to the obstruction of venous return caused by the pressure of the pregnant belly, which gradually worsens with the increase of gestational age. There is also pathological edema. After edema occurs, the following diseases should be ruled out first: pregnancy-induced hypertension, hypoproteinemia, abnormal renal function, etc., so blood pressure, liver function, and renal function should be checked.