During pregnancy, you may experience dizziness or lightheadedness that makes you feel like you want to pass out. However, don’t worry moms, dizziness is a fairly common pregnancy symptom.
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Vertigo During Pregnancy: When Did Pregnant Women Begin To Experience It?
Many women begin to feel dizzy between the 12th week and the first few weeks of the second trimester of pregnancy.
Is dizziness a common symptom of early pregnancy?
Dizziness is usually not an early pregnancy symptom. However, this condition can be an early pregnancy symptom if you have low blood sugar levels due to: morning sickness or nausea and vomiting. You may feel dizzy if you have trouble eating because you are nauseous.
What are the causes of dizziness during pregnancy?
Early in pregnancy, the body works hard to meet the needs of the moms and baby in the womb. Dizziness is most likely caused by several factors, namely:
- The body did not produce enough blood to fill the enlarged circulatory system.
- High levels of progesterone can also cause blood vessels to relax and widen, thus increasing blood flow to the baby, but conversely decreasing blood flow for you, thus lowering blood pressure. As a result, blood flow to the brain is reduced, causing dizziness.
- The growing uterus puts pressure on the blood vessels, especially when you sleep on your back.
- When you are pregnant, your body produces a lot of heat, which makes it easier for you to feel hot and dizzy.
- If your blood sugar levels drop or if you are dehydrated, you may feel dizzy.
Read also: Research: The higher the vitamin D intake of pregnant women, the higher the children’s IQ score
What to do if you are dizzy during pregnancy?
No matter how normal the dizziness is, you can’t ignore it. So, when you feel dizzy, don’t drive or do other activities that can put you in danger. If you need help, don’t be shy about saying it.
To relieve dizziness, lie down so you don’t fall or pass out, then lift your legs to increase blood flow to the brain. If that’s not possible, you can sit down and lean forward as much as possible, then breathe deeply and slowly.
How to prevent dizziness during pregnancy
To prevent dizziness during pregnancy, you can do this:
- Get up slowlyDo not get up too quickly when sitting or lying down, as this can cause your blood pressure to drop and cause dizziness.
- Eat healthy food: make sure you eat healthy food with balanced nutritionespecially proteins and complex carbohydrates (such as whole grains) at each meal to keep blood sugar levels stable.
- Snacks often: Make sure you snack several times a day to prevent blood sugar levels from dropping.
- Drink enough water: Make sure you drink enough water as dizziness can be a sign of dehydration.
- Don’t sleep on your back: In the second and third trimesters, you should avoid sleeping on your back, as the growing uterus can put pressure on the vena cava and cause dizziness.
Read also: Can babies see, hear and smell in the womb?
When should you see a doctor for dizziness during pregnancy?
Sometimes, a lack of iron (anemia) can cause dizziness and fainting due to a lack of oxygen-carrying blood cells throughout the body. So, if you faint during pregnancy, see a doctor right away.
Some women worry that dizziness includes symptoms of miscarriage. Don’t worry, first of all dizziness or lightheadedness are not a common symptom of miscarriage. Dizziness is also not a common symptom of preeclampsia caused by hypertension. On the other hand, dizziness is often caused by low blood pressure.
If the dizziness and lightheadedness you experience do not go away even though you have adopted several ways to relieve them, you should see a doctor.
Join the community of pregnant friends: https://bit.ly/KomunitasTemanBumil
Source:
What to expect. Vertigo during pregnancy. September 2022.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Morning sickness: nausea and vomiting during pregnancyDecember 2021.
