Swelling in one degree or another always accompanies pregnancy. But it can be a manifestation of a natural pregnancy and the initial stage of severe complications of second half of pregnancy - preeclampsia. To understand where the norm, and where the disease will obstetrician-gynecologist of female consultation, it is for that woman is there to be observed.

Swelling in normal pregnancy

When pregnancy occurs, the woman abruptly changing hormones. First of all, almost tenfold increase blood levels of the female hormone progesterone Progesterone - norm and pathology . The main purpose of progesterone during pregnancy - containment of uterine contractility, ie the prevention of miscarriage Miscarriage - can you protect yourself from it? . But progesterone has another peculiarity: it contributes to the delay of salt and fluid in the body and the formation of edema, so some swelling of tissues in a pregnant woman almost always there.

Cause edema in healthy pregnant women can also increase during pregnancy circulating blood volume. Therefore, a pregnant woman almost always slightly swollen hands and feet. But we must remember that the swelling may be a sign of pregnancy complications, so a pregnant woman should always be under the supervision of a doctor of female consultation.

In order to reduce the swelling in normal pregnancy, you need to follow certain rules: do not eat salty and spicy food, wear uncomfortable shoes and pulling together the clothes need to combine moderate exercise with rest (preferably with raised legs), and spend more time in the open air.

Edema as a symptom of preeclampsia

In the second half of pregnancy the woman's condition can be complicated by preeclampsia - toxicosis, which is due to the fact that there comes a spasm of small blood vessels and the liquid begins to propotevat of them into the surrounding tissue. This is manifested by the fact that pregnant women appear swelling. Spasm of the blood vessels causes a disturbance of blood supply to certain organs, especially the kidneys and the brain, which affects the further course of preeclampsia: increased blood pressure Blood pressure - dangerous if his swing? In urine appears a large amount of protein (it should not be at all), the changes come from the brain (impaired consciousness, convulsions appear and so on). If a woman in time will not be helped, it may die.

Swelling is the first sign of preeclampsia, a condition called hydrocephalus pregnant. They may initially be hidden and shown only too rapid weight gain (more than 350 g per week), and then becomes apparent: there are first in the feet and gradually climb up, grabbing the first upper and lower limbs, and then the abdomen, neck and face. The skin in the area of ​​edema becomes dry, hard. The woman in this case may not feel discomfort, however at this time should be taken to ensure that the condition is not aggravated and preeclampsia are not moved to the next, more dangerous stage.

Treatment of minor swelling conducted on an outpatient basis, but if, despite treatment, the condition does not improve, the pregnant woman is sent to the hospital. This woman must be protected from stress, limit physical activity. Appointed by diuretics, sedatives herbal prophylactic treatment of intrauterine fetal hypoxia and delay its development. If no improvement is still not coming, then at high pregnancy premature delivery is carried out.

Preventing the emergence and further development of preeclampsia in pregnant women is regular prenatal doctor's supervision.

What else can cause swelling in pregnant women

During pregnancy, a woman can become complicated for any chronic disease. Edema may be associated with varicose veins Varicose veins - the operation is inevitable? With chronic kidney disease and heart.

Varicose veins are caused by overstretching of the walls of veins and stagnation in their blood, which promotes the formation of thrombi (blood clots that close the vein lumen and impair circulation). Since during pregnancy dramatically increases blood volume, the blood from the veins propotevaet more active into the surrounding tissue, causing edema. To prevent varicose veins of pregnant women are advised to wear special elastic stockings.

Kidney and heart can also cause edema: patients bodies can not cope with the increased load that occurs during pregnancy. So now recommended for all women with pre-planned conception examination and treatment in order to prevent any aggravation of diseases during pregnancy.

Galina Romanenko

Premature aging of the placenta is dangerous because the placenta is impregnated with salts, it reduces the number of blood vessels and the child begins to suffer from lack of nutrients and oxygen. Especially dangerous lack of oxygen to brain tissue changes that occur at the same time, may be irreversible.

The main function of the placenta

The placenta is an organ that is produced only during pregnancy and ceases to function when the pregnancy ends. It is a disc with one hand buried in the wall of the uterus, and the other side coupled with the fruit cord in which pass the blood vessels.

The main functions of the placenta are:

• separation of genetic heterogeneity of organisms of mother and child and the prevention of possible immunological conflict between them;
• delivery to the tissues of fetal arterial blood carrying nutrients and oxygen;
• excretion fetal venous blood from products of metabolism, and carbon dioxide;
• Warning of contact with the body of the fetus to toxic substances from the mother's body;
• secretion of hormones, to maintain a state of pregnancy, fetal growth and development;
• transmission from the mother to the fetus protective antibodies Antibodies - "soldiers' immunity   to various infections that will protect the baby in its first few months after birth.

How is placenta

The placenta begins to function at 12 weeks of pregnancy, she is completely in control since the 16th week of pregnancy. In the future, the placenta adapts to the needs of the developing fetus and growing with its growth. Fully placenta matures at the end of pregnancy. From about the 36th week, the placenta there salt deposits The deposition of salts - a disease of old men? Begin zapustevat small blood vessels - a process known as aging of the placenta. Physiologically it is needed - reduces a large number of blood vessels in order to reduce the risk of bleeding during childbirth. But if labor does not occur in time (prolonged pregnancy) or premature aging of the placenta takes place, the lack of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus begins to suffer.

The degree of maturity of the placenta revealed during the ultrasound. In conjunction with the term of pregnancy is a very important indicator. The placenta has 4 stages of maturation: Zero - up to 30 weeks of pregnancy, the first - 27-36 weeks, the second - 34-39 weeks, the third (it corresponds to the beginning of the aging of the placenta) - after 36-37 weeks.

Why can begin premature aging of placenta

Premature aging of the placenta may start at a different sort of traumatic lesions of the uterus or the impact on the mother transferred diseases and intoxications. Traumatic injuries occur when the uterus abortion, difficult births in the past, wrong location of the placenta in the uterus (close to the inner zevu - out of the uterus) during this pregnancy, placental abruption, uterine wall stretching in multiple pregnancy or polyhydramnios.

Premature aging of the placenta may also result in various endocrine disorders (e.g., thyroid Thyroid disease - women at risk Diabetes mellitus), any acute illness or exacerbation of chronic (especially chronic pelvic inflammatory disease), diseases of the pregnant woman. What matters is the presence and severity of late toxicosis of pregnancy, any exogenous intoxication (delivery of toxic substances in the mother's body from the outside), for example, industrial hazard, smoking, drinking alcohol during pregnancy, drugs of various drugs without the consent of a doctor.

In what appears and the risk of premature aging of the placenta

When the third stage of maturation of the placenta has begun earlier than 36 weeks of pregnancy (or the second stage before 32 weeks), then it is a sign of premature aging. If you find this feature during an ultrasound examination of the fetus is established a special monitoring in order to detect signs of hypoxia, he (oxygen starvation).

Typically, small changes in the placenta do not cause any complications in the fetus and not require correction. Such changes are common and are usually hereditary, that is, are the individual feature of this woman.

If significant changes in the placenta of the fetus is always suffering, especially suffering from tissue that is most in need of oxygen - the tissue of the brain. If hypoxia continues for a long time, in the brain may be irreversible changes. "Outstanding" status of the fetus, especially, frequent heartbeat - the heart begins to contract more frequently to apply more blood to suffer from a lack of oxygen to the tissues. The survey is conducted with the help of special equipment - heart monitor.

This condition is called placental insufficiency Placental insufficiency - deviation from the norm   It requires emergency treatment. If the gestational age allows, conducted delivery, in the earlier stages of pregnancy - treatment that restores utero-placental circulation.

Every woman should know what the premature maturation of the placenta than it is dangerous for the baby, as well as the fact that the early detection of this disease it is quite possible to compensate.

Galina Romanenko