Why do my hands become swollen in late pregnancy?

Many women will find that their hands and feet are more swollen in the later stages of pregnancy. In fact, this is a common edema problem during pregnancy. It is because the permeability of capillaries increases and the circulation volume in the body increases, which is mainly the reason for this edema.

1. Swelling of 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.

2. 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.

3. Therefore, if edema occurs during pregnancy, relevant examinations should be carried out to rule out the possibility of gestational hypertension. Prevention and treatment methods 1. Rest: Keep your mind calm and get enough sleep. When resting in bed, lie on your side to avoid the uterus compressing the large blood vessels. 2. Don’t eat too salty food and control the intake of water and salt appropriately. 3. In the middle and late stages of pregnancy, pay attention to regularly monitor changes in blood pressure, urine routine, etc. If gestational hypertension is suspected, active treatment should be sought.