How to relieve the causes of edema in pregnant women

Many pregnant mothers will find that their hands, feet and other parts of their bodies have varying degrees of edema during pregnancy. Although it is not a disease, the swelling is very uncomfortable. Some even experience bloating and pain that affects their lives. So what exactly causes the edema? Is there any way to relieve this edema? Let's take a look.

Causes of edema in pregnant women

The main reason for edema of the hands and feet is that the uterus enlarges during pregnancy, compressing the veins and causing venous return obstruction. The reasons for lower limb edema during pregnancy are: 1. After pregnancy, blood volume gradually increases from 6 weeks, reaches a peak at 34 weeks, and maintains at this level until two weeks after delivery before returning to the pre-pregnancy level. Blood volume can increase by about 40% compared with the non-pregnancy period, so after the blood volume increases, the interstitial fluid will also increase. 2. Since the increase in blood is greater than the increase in blood cells, the blood components will be relatively diluted, and the relative concentration of plasma albumin will be lower than that in the non-pregnancy period. Plasma albumin is the main component for maintaining plasma osmotic pressure. The plasma osmotic pressure during pregnancy is lower than that in the non-pregnancy period. This makes it easy for water in the blood flow to penetrate into the interstitial fluid, causing lower limb edema. 3. After pregnancy, the uterus enlarges, increasing the pressure in the pelvis, thereby affecting the venous blood flow in the lower limbs. This is also one of the important reasons for lower limb edema. If the swelling during pregnancy is relieved after rest or sleep, it is physiological and there is no need to worry. Edema will become more serious as the gestational age increases. As the number of weeks of pregnancy increases, the edema of pregnant women will become increasingly obvious. During the entire pregnancy process, body fluids will increase by 6-8 liters, of which 4-6 liters are extracellular fluids, which are stored in tissues and cause edema. This phenomenon is quite common during pregnancy. The soles of the feet, ankles, and calves are the most common parts of the body to edema, and sometimes even the face will have slight swelling. The closer to the due date, the more serious it is. If it is hot, the swelling will be more obvious. Mild swelling is normal, but if it is accompanied by high blood pressure and proteinuria, the expectant mother is at risk of gestational hypertension, and must do a good prenatal check-up and fully cooperate with the doctor.

Pay attention to edema during pregnancy

After edema is discovered, it is recommended to go to the hospital first to have a urine routine test to see if there is proteinuria. Because the metabolic burden on the kidneys caused by pregnancy may aggravate edema, edema with positive proteinuria requires interventional treatment by nephrology and obstetrics. It is also recommended to check blood pressure. If there is excessive proteinuria and high blood pressure, it may be gestational hypertension.

Pregnancy-induced hypertension causes ischemia and hypoxia in maternal organs, which is a serious hazard to both the mother and the fetus. Pregnant women may suffer from heart failure, renal failure, cerebral edema, cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral embolism and coagulation dysfunction. Severe complications may even cause the death of pregnant women and fetuses. Pregnancy-induced hypertension can lead to intrauterine growth retardation, distress, stillbirth, premature birth, and a relatively increased neonatal mortality rate.

Pay attention to life

Paying more attention to small details in your daily life can help you relieve edema.

1. Expectant mothers should ensure adequate rest and avoid overwork. If there is no place for a nap, expectant mothers can raise their feet and take a half-sitting rest.

2. Do not stand or sit for a long time. Walk around during work breaks. When sitting, you can put a small stool or a small cardboard box under your feet to raise your feet. Do not cross your legs when sitting, and move your legs and feet frequently.

3. Be careful not to wear tight socks. Do not let the socks press on the ankles and calves to avoid affecting blood circulation. Similarly, be careful not to wear tight clothes.

4. Pay attention to controlling salt intake in daily life, and the daily intake should not exceed 10g.

5. It is best to lie on your left side when sleeping. You can use a cushion to raise your feet.

6. Ensure the intake of animal foods such as meat, fish, shrimp, eggs, milk and beans every day. These foods are rich in high-quality protein. Eat more fresh vegetables and fruits appropriately, which contain a variety of vitamins and trace elements necessary for the human body and have the effect of detoxification and diuresis. Don't be greedy and avoid eating high-salt and canned foods.

Pregnant mothers should note that mild edema during pregnancy is limited to the calf area. It starts at the ankles and then slowly spreads upwards. Severe cases may cause swelling of the thighs, abdominal wall or the whole body, and even ascites and pleural effusion. Therefore, pregnant mothers do not need to worry too much about edema in general. However, if the edema is severe or suddenly becomes serious, you must seek medical attention in time.

What to eat for pregnant women with edema

1. High-protein foods

Pregnant women must take in sufficient protein to ensure the functioning of their own and the fetus' bodies. If they do not take in enough protein, they will easily suffer from edema, which will also seriously affect the growth and development of the fetus.

For example, poultry, livestock meat, fish, seafood, shellfish, eggs, milk and dairy products, soy products (such as soy milk, tofu, dried tofu, vegetarian chicken), etc. These are all protein-rich foods, and pregnant women should arrange their intake reasonably to maintain the normal state of the body, so there will be no edema.

2. Low-salt diet

Pregnant women who consume high-salt foods are prone to edema. Therefore, in order to relieve edema, they must eat low-salt foods to avoid aggravating the edema.

A low-salt diet means that the daily intake of salt does not exceed 2 grams (about one cap of toothpaste, containing 0.8 grams of sodium) or 10 ml/d of soy sauce, but does not include the sodium chloride naturally present in food.

Therefore, pregnant women are absolutely not allowed to eat all kinds of pickled foods, such as cured fish, cured meat, sausage, pickles, preserved eggs, ham, etc. If pregnant women do not have a strong appetite, they can add strong-flavored vegetables to the food, such as onions, tomatoes, celery, coriander, mushrooms, wolfberries, red dates, black dates, lemons, vinegar, etc., to reduce the amount of salt used.

3. Fruits and vegetables

Vegetables and fruits are absolutely indispensable foods during pregnancy, because they contain multiple vitamins and trace elements necessary for the human body, which can help improve the body's resistance, enhance metabolic function, and can detoxify and promote diuresis, effectively relieving edema in pregnant women.

Green leafy vegetables should be the first choice for vegetables, such as spinach, rapeseed, and celery. Fruits with warm nature should be the best, such as apples, cherries, and red dates. A reasonable combination of meat and food can ensure a balanced diet.