Relieve severe swelling of the legs during pregnancy. Folk remedies for removing edema. The correct diet of a pregnant woman with a tendency to edema

The last months of pregnancy are always considered the most difficult for a woman. Difficulties are caused not only by an increase in the mass of the fetus, but also by the body's response to new life inside the womb. The most common problem is swelling during pregnancy on later dates. In most cases, the cause of their appearance is physiological in nature, but exceptions are possible. When to sound the alarm and consult a doctor, you will learn from the materials in this article.

Edema in late pregnancy - normal or pathological?

Not every clinical case of edema during pregnancy indicates the presence of complications. The third trimester is characterized by an increase in the size of the uterus, which increases pressure on the ureters. A woman has problems with urination, and swelling occurs.

Also, this problem is diagnosed against the background of weight gain. For this reason, weight control of a pregnant woman is mandatory. To avoid edema or reduce their severity, doctors recommend sticking to a dairy-vegetarian diet.

Limiting the amount of liquid, on the contrary, is not worth it. Doctors advise to drink up to two liters of water per day, but at the same time maintain strict control over the amount of urine. Its volume should be at least 60% of the amount of fluid consumed.

The situations described above are a prime example of physiological edema. You can reduce their manifestation by adjusting the diet and mode. When this approach fails desired results you need to consult your doctor. Edema is dangerous not only for physical or aesthetic discomfort. Often they are a symptom of serious pathologies ( varicose veins veins, kidney failure, gestosis).

Late preeclampsia is considered the most common and at the same time dangerous disorder. If the general condition of the woman is satisfactory, but severe edema is observed, the gynecologist should be informed about this. If this is not done in a timely manner, such neglect of one's own health and well-being of the baby can affect the mother-placenta-fetus system. Violation of this scheme often leads to oxygen starvation child, which affects his development.

Why do edema appear?

Edema during pregnancy in the later stages appears gradually. First of all, then this process "rises" through the body, affecting the lower back and arms. In especially serious cases - the face.

If we exclude physiological, there are a great many reasons for the development of pathological edema.

  1. Protein deficiency.
  2. Kidney disease (impaired outflow of fluid from the body).
  3. Pathology of the thyroid gland (change in water-salt balance).
  4. Cardiovascular disease (impaired blood circulation).
  5. Phlebeurysm.
  6. Overweight.

Only a doctor can determine the nature of edema. After a complete diagnostic examination and identification of the cause of the pathology, the woman is prescribed treatment.

Facial swelling in late pregnancy

During pregnancy, this is a fairly common problem. First of all, the eyelids swell, and the face takes on a rounded shape.

A special case is swelling of the nose. Among the causes of its occurrence can be noted the accumulation of fluid in the vessels, as well as problems with the respiratory tract. Swelling of the nose is usually accompanied by a runny nose, dryness or itching.

Runny nose and swelling at 38 weeks of gestation are fairly common phenomena that complement each other. In this case, it is recommended to consult a doctor who will select the medicine. After the birth of the baby, this problem is resolved by itself. Rhinitis for a pregnant woman is completely safe, but can affect the development of the fetus. With nasal congestion, the baby inside the womb experiences a lack of oxygen, which entails negative consequences.

Swelling of the legs in late pregnancy

The process of fluid retention is carried out in the direction from the bottom up. That is why, first of all, the legs of a pregnant woman suffer. The manifestation of this pathology is more noticeable in the evening. During the day, the accumulated fluid descends, concentrating in the limbs. At night, it is distributed throughout the body, so the swelling of the legs is not so noticeable. If after rest the symptoms disappear, there is no reason to worry.

In what case is it necessary to consult a doctor? It is necessary to seek qualified help when the swelling in the legs does not subside even in the morning. Causes pathological condition usually hide in late gestosis.

On initial stage, in addition to swelling in the legs, women complain of malaise, fatigue and poor health. An alarming symptom is uneven or excessively large weight gain (more than 500 g per week). It can also increase blood pressure, appear protein in the urine, convulsions. If, after a diagnostic examination, the diagnosis of preeclampsia is confirmed, the woman is hospitalized. The future woman in labor and her baby require complex treatment and constant monitoring.

Swelling of the fingers during pregnancy

If your fingers begin to swell, it's time to sound the alarm. The first sign of a problem is the inability to remove the ring. In addition, numbness and tingling in the fingers are observed.

This problem should not be ignored. The higher the swelling rises through the body, the greater the danger to the child. Do not hesitate and postpone the visit to the doctor. The sooner you report a problem, the more likely it is to be successfully treated.

Swelling of the fingers during pregnancy is usually due to professional activity women. Similar phenomena occur with repeated manipulations of the same type of brushes. It can be computer work, knitting or embroidery. Edema is often accompanied by a characteristic pain in the wrist, which is otherwise referred to in medical practice. If you are engaged in such work, it is better to give it up for a while and do special exercises for the hands.

What is hidden edema?

Excessive women (more than 300 g per week) may indicate such a problem. For the entire duration of pregnancy, weight gain should not exceed 12 kg. Otherwise, the doctor prescribes control of the consumed fluid and excreted urine. The McClure-Aldrich test is also particularly informative. A woman is injected subcutaneously with sodium chloride. After a large blister forms at the injection site, which persists for an hour. With hidden edema, it does not appear at all or disappears very quickly. According to the results of the examination, the woman is prescribed a course of treatment.

medical examination

Each appointment of a pregnant woman at the gynecologist is accompanied by a physical examination. This is especially true of the legs and face, since it allows you to diagnose pastosity on early dates. Another mandatory step at the reception at the gynecologist is weighing. This is the best way to determine excessive weight gain. Edema during late pregnancy is a certain phenomenon that is often caused by an increase in a woman's body weight.

Before each appointment, a future woman in labor must take urine tests. With this test, the doctor can check the functioning of the kidneys and differentiate the physiological variant of the swelling.

It is very difficult to establish why swelling occurs during late pregnancy. To make a diagnosis, the gynecologist requires additional results (ultrasound of the kidneys, blood tests, etc.). After that, the specialist can judge the presence of pathologies and prescribe the necessary treatment.

Edema in late pregnancy. What to do?

For prevention purposes, as well as for physiological edema, doctors advise future women in labor to follow fairly simple recommendations.

Should be lead active image life, spend less time in sitting position, as much as possible. Sports and fitness activities designed specifically for women in position are considered useful.

To reduce swelling in the legs, the causes of which are often hidden in the accumulation of fluid in the lower extremities, special baths can be done. The water must not be hot. You can add a little to it essential oil. Such baths give a positive effect with regular repetition of the procedure.

Try to avoid overheating, stay less in stuffy rooms and in direct sunlight. Wear only high-quality and comfortable shoes, preferably without a heel.

As for the issue of nutrition, it is necessary to exclude salty, spicy, smoked and fried foods. All of them directly affect fluid retention in the body. You should also limit the consumption of sweets and pastries.

Excessive consumption of salt leads to fluid retention in the body, resulting in swelling during pregnancy. The testimonials of many women who followed this recommendation really prove this statement. One has only to give up the use of salt, as the edema begins to pass on its own. But the amount of liquid should not be reduced. It is recommended to consume up to two liters of the most ordinary non-carbonated water per day.

Medical treatment of edema

Treatment recommendations for the fight against swelling are most often limited to those outlined above. Some women are advised to wear compression stockings and use special means from edema (gels, ointments). In the event of complications and preeclampsia of the second degree, drug treatment is indispensable. It is important to understand that gestosis carries a threat not only for the future woman in labor, but also for her baby in the womb.

Usually, women with such a diagnosis are prescribed diuretics (Canephron, Fitolizin). These funds normalize the work of the kidneys, have anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effects. Also shown is the intake of multivitamin complexes to improve uteroplacental blood flow. With the help of droppers, the deficiency of protein and fluid in the body of a woman is restored. With high blood pressure, antihypertensive drugs are prescribed.

Help of traditional medicine

Many recipes can be found in specialized sources. traditional medicine. Before resorting to the help of one or another remedy for edema, it is necessary to consult a doctor.

Many believe in miraculous This berry is rich in vitamins and really helps with swelling. It should be understood that each organism is individual, therefore, a doctor's consultation is required before use. Lingonberry improves the tone of the body. Without that, a constantly tense uterus can receive a double dose of this tone. This kind of negligence can lead to the threat of termination of pregnancy.

Treatment with folk remedies involves the use of various herbal tinctures. Plants that have the greatest diuretic effect are usually chosen (kidney tea, bearberry leaves, horsetail). It is recommended to drink no more than one glass of any of the listed infusions per day. The treatment time is usually about a month.

As a rule, such recommendations are suitable for women with physiological edema. In the case of pathologies in the body, complex drug treatment is indispensable, and traditional medicine recipes can be used as a supplement.

Conclusion

Now you know why swelling during pregnancy should not be ignored, in which cases a doctor's consultation is required. Carrying a baby for all nine months is a rather crucial period in the life of every woman. While the child is developing, his life and health are in your hands. If you follow the diet and rest, follow the doctor's instructions, motherhood brings only positive emotions.

swollen ankles during pregnancy

Edema during pregnancy what to do

One of the least attractive and at the same time the most common side effects pregnancy - swelling of the legs. According to statistics, edema causes discomfort for at least 75% of pregnant women. Soft swelling of the legs and ankles, which makes themselves felt by an increase in the volume of the foot and pastosity, is most disturbing at the end of the working day or during the summer heat season. Their presence forces us to purchase appropriate comfortable shoes, suffer from a feeling of heaviness and pain in the legs, but in most cases, swelling is absolutely safe and disappears immediately after childbirth. Only in some cases, spreading to the hands, face and abdomen, edema can become pathological, causing serious deviations during pregnancy.

What is swelling of the legs during pregnancy and why they occur

With the onset of pregnancy, our body turns into a zealous host, constantly creating reserves of nutrients, oxygen and water, accumulating them in internal tissues. The extra fluid accumulated in the tissues is required, in part, to soften the skin and joints suffering from weight gain, to prepare the pelvic organs for childbirth, and also to ensure the timely delivery of nutrients to the baby and mother. The body will need fluid reservoirs in the first days after childbirth to ensure the process of producing mother's milk.

swelling in the legs during pregnancy arising, as a rule, after 30 weeks are provoked by a combination of fluid accumulated in the tissues and increasing pressure of the body of the uterus on the inferior vena cava, as a result of which the outflow of blood to the heart is difficult and fluid accumulates in the legs and ankles.

How to relieve swelling during pregnancy

Fortunately, the discomfort caused by swelling of the legs can be easily eliminated by following a few simple recommendations.

Positions

Pregnant women who have swollen legs during pregnancy, must follow several general rules: do not get up when you can sit and do not sit if you can lie down. Whenever possible, lie on your left side to increase blood flow to the mother, and therefore to the baby.

1. Elevate your legs when you lie down to help reduce swelling 2. When you go to bed, be sure to place a pillow under your feet to ensure a good drainage of stagnant fluid. 3. Do not cross your legs when sitting, even crossing ankles can prevent healthy blood flow. Try not to stay in one position for a long time (sitting or standing) for a long time

Cloth

Choosing the right clothes will allow you to eliminate the discomfort that causes leg swelling during pregnancy. Choose comfortable shoes and avoid tight-fitting clothing. Be sure to use elastic tights and stockings that maintain a constant flow of blood and improve circulation.

Diet

Proper nutrition is one of the most effective ways to remove swelling during pregnancy.

1. From the diet, it is necessary to eliminate foods high in sodium, which increases water retention in the body, as well as most foods with the presence of preservatives, such as sausages, canned food, factory juices, etc. 2. Preference should be given to fresh foods, especially vegetables and fruits. 3. Foods with a high amount of salt should be excluded from the daily diet. Given that salt contributes to the accumulation of water in the tissues, it is a good idea to keep its consumption to a minimum. 4. Drink at least 8/10 glasses of liquid per day. . Increasing potassium and adequate protein intake will also help reduce swelling.

Active lifestyle

The correct alternation of rest with a little physical activity will eliminate the stagnation of fluid in the tissues. Aerobics, swimming and walking will be very effective. When walking in the park, it is recommended to wave your arms, as well as clench and unclench your fists, which will ensure the correct distribution of the liquid.

Severe swelling during pregnancy, what to do As a rule, although swelling that causes discomfort, it is not dangerous, with rare exceptions. If they do not decrease after a long night's rest, they spread to the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe arms, abdomen and face and increase in size. If, in addition to edema, you begin to worry

Headache

Pain in the ribs

Dizziness and vomiting

blurred vision

Seek medical attention immediately, because in this case, edema threatens both you and the child and requires special treatment and medical care.

In all other cases, do not worry, swelling in the legs during pregnancy is a temporary phenomenon that quickly disappears after childbirth.

Comments
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Pregnancy Swelling: 11 Ways to Relieve Swelling

During pregnancy, a woman is especially attentive to her health, and the appearance of edema during pregnancy can cause concern. You should know the causes of this common problem, and how you can alleviate the condition.

As a rule, the ankles and legs swell first, but swelling of the hands and face is also possible. Almost 75% of women experience edema of varying degrees during pregnancy.

What is the cause of edema during pregnancy?

“... almost 75% of women experience edema of varying degrees during pregnancy ...”

Causes of edema during pregnancy:

is an excess of fluid in the tissues of the body. During pregnancy, the volume of fluid circulating in the body, including blood, increases by up to 50%.

Sometimes the growing uterus begins to put pressure on the veins, which leads to a violation of the outflow of blood from the lower extremities, a violation of the normal blood circulation in the body. Because of this, during pregnancy, the feet, ankles and legs begin to swell.

At the same time, swelling during pregnancy can be caused by hormonal changes in the body.

What should expectant mothers expect?


Basically, edema is caused by an increase in the volume of fluid in the body of a pregnant woman.

The liquid softens the tissues, which allows them to expand and move for comfortable development and growth of the baby.

The extra fluid also helps strengthen the pelvic joints and tissues, preparing them for childbirth.

Most often, edema occurs in the third trimester of pregnancy.

Sometimes the swelling increases during the day, reaching its most severe condition in the evening.

Hot weather, a sedentary lifestyle, and fatigue usually exacerbate the condition.

However, remember that pregnancy swelling is only a temporary condition. It will pass as soon as you give birth.

When should a pregnant woman worry?



Despite the fact that swelling during pregnancy is a normal option, there are conditions that require immediate medical attention. Pay attention to whether you have the following symptoms.Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any worrying symptoms!

Severe swelling of the legs, fingers and the area around the eyes can be a symptom of preeclampsia in pregnant women.Preeclampsia is a serious health complication in late pregnancy.With gestosis, the work of the kidneys, blood vessels and brain of the expectant mother worsens. Its most characteristic signs are an increase in blood pressure, swelling and the appearance of protein in urine tests, as a sign of impaired kidney function.

If one of the legs swells more, and the swelling is accompanied by pain in the thigh and lower leg, then thismay be a sign of thrombosisand requires immediate medical attention.

Excessive swelling of the arms and hands can be a symptom of carpal tunnel syndrome. Edema squeezes the nerve endings of the hands.

“...signspreeclampsia - this is an increase in blood pressure, swelling and the appearance of protein in urine tests in a pregnant woman ... "

11 tips to reduce swelling during pregnancy and alleviate the condition of a woman

Most likely, you will not be able to completely get rid of edema during pregnancy, but you can definitely reduce unpleasant symptoms with the help of 11 simple rules:

1. Move!

Try not to sit or stand for long periods of time.



  • If you have to stand for a long time, be sure to take breaks and sit down.
  • If you have to sit for a long time, get up and walk around.
  • Don't sit cross-legged.
  • During breaks, do simple exercises for the arms and legs.

2. Sleep on your left side.

When you sleep on your left side, the load on the vein that carries blood from the lower extremities to the heart is less.


  • Position your feet on a raised platform, such as using a pillow. This will reduce pain and visibly reduce swelling in the legs.

3. Eat right.

Compliance with a balanced and avoiding unhealthy foods will help reduce pain and swelling.


  • Eat more vegetables and fruits.
  • Limit your intake of salt, sugar and fatty foods.
  • Avoid convenience foods and fast food.
  • Do not eat canned foods, they contain a lot of salt, vinegar and preservatives.
  • Increase your daily dose of vitamins C and E (be sure to check with your doctor first).

4. Drink water.

Medical experts call 8-10 glasses of water a necessary norm for pregnant women.


  • Water helps to remove toxins and toxins from the body, and also lowers the level of salt in the body.
  • Sufficient water intake reduces swelling, as the body stops retaining water as a reserve.

Important! Drink plain water. Juices, carbonated drinks, sweet teas contain a lot of sugar, which will have a bad effect on swelling during pregnancy.

5. Sports are useful for pregnant women.

With the approval of your doctor, you can do special exercises for pregnant women, stretch, swim. Daily walks in the fresh air also accelerate blood circulation throughout the body and cheer up.



In the absence of contraindications during pregnancy, water sports are especially useful: swimming and water aerobics.On the one hand, this is an active movement, good physical activity, on the other hand, water puts pressure on the skin, preventing the vessels from expanding and the legs from swelling.

6. Lymphatic drainage massage of the legs during pregnancy.

If there are no contraindications during pregnancy, you can do lymphatic drainage massage of the legs (pressotherapy). Massage can be done by a specially trained massage therapist, or on your own with the help of special pressotherapy devices with cuffs on your legs.


  • Pressotherapy naturally removes excess fluid from the bodyand metabolic products (slags and toxins).
  • Pressotherapy eliminates skin laxity and, by activating the body's resources, naturally improves its condition, making the skin smoother and more elastic.

7. Choose comfortable shoes.

Some moms-to-be have a foot that expands during pregnancy, and their usual shoes are no longer comfortable. And tight lacing of boots can impair blood circulation.


  • Choose light, comfortable shoes without a heel.
  • Some doctors also recommend orthopedic shoes and insoles. It is believed that such shoes help relieve pain, swelling, and even relieve back pain.

8. Avoid tight clothing

Clothing should not squeeze the ankles and wrists.


  • Loose clothing does not interfere with the circulation of blood and other body fluids.
  • Wear compression stockings or special tights for pregnant women, which do not squeeze the stomach and promote normal outflow of blood from the lower extremities.

9. Try folk methods and home therapy

After consulting with a specialist, you can:


  • Gently massage your feet using massage oil. Movements should be soft and directed from the bottom up.
  • Make foot baths from infusions of cypress, lavender and chamomile.
  • Drink herbal teas.

10. Relax in the water

Soak your feet in a cold water bath. Water compresses the tissues of the body, and you experience relief from pain and heaviness in the legs. Coolness brings relief.

11. Do not smoke and reduce your coffee intake.



Always remember that pregnancy swelling is only temporary and will disappear as soon as your baby is born.

Take care of your health, be attentive to yourself, take care and support good mood!


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Most women who are carrying a child are faced with swelling of the lower extremities. This can happen under the influence of many factors, some of which necessarily need treatment so that complications do not arise. To prescribe adequate therapy, it is necessary to find out what caused the problem.

Why do legs swell during pregnancy?

Possible causes of edema:

  • Excessive fluid intake. This condition is not pathological, but requires observation.
  • Excess body weight. In some cases, with an unbalanced diet, weight is growing rapidly, which in turn increases the load on the legs and provokes their swelling.
  • Varicose veins of the lower extremities. The uterus increases in size, putting pressure on the vessels, and the veins, filled with blood, cause swelling.
  • late toxicosis. This is a dangerous condition in which pressure rises, and protein is present in the urine test.
  • Violation of the kidneys. The load on this organ during the bearing of a child doubles, so problems often arise that should be under the control of the attending physician.

Factors that provoke swelling

There are factors that increase the risk of edema. These include:

  • long stay in the heat;
  • lack of potassium in the body of a pregnant woman;
  • prolonged standing or sitting, wearing uncomfortable shoes;
  • frequent consumption of drinks that contain caffeine.

Types of swelling during pregnancy

Edema can be obvious and hidden:

  • Obvious swelling immediately makes itself felt: the usual shoes become small, the lower leg increases in girth, the elastic band from socks leaves a strong mark on the skin.
  • The latent form is revealed when a woman comes to the doctor for weighing. If there has been a sharp jump in the weight of the pregnant woman, the gynecologist may suspect latent edema.


What to do with swelling of the legs

  • Change the position of the body as often as possible: long standing, sitting, lying down will adversely affect the condition of the legs. Hiking must be replaced by rest, all loads must be distributed correctly. At the end of the day, it is useful to perform an exercise: lie on the floor, raise your legs up for 10 minutes, you can lean them against the wall. Then do a little foot massage. Place a pillow under your feet while you sleep to help drain blood from your extremities.
  • Shoes should be soft, comfortable, without heels. Also choose clothes that are comfortable, not squeezing blood vessels.
  • The nutrition of the future mother is of great importance. It is worth putting a taboo on visiting fast food restaurants, limiting yourself to the consumption of sweets, salt, smoked meats, spicy, fried foods. Useful will be fruits, vegetables, steam, stews, boiled dishes.
  • Ensuring a full supply of fluid to the body will have a positive effect on the body and prevent the appearance of edema, but you need to keep in mind that in the evening the amount of water you drink is reduced. Eliminate soda and very sugary drinks, as they interfere with fluid excretion.
  • Well relieve fatigue and swelling of the bath with cold water to which you can add sea salt.
  • Only strictly prescribed by a therapist or gynecologist in the fight against edema help diuretic drugs, and drugs, vitamins that help strengthen blood vessels.


In the event of edema, in no case should you self-medicate, in order to avoid consequences. Only a doctor can conduct a competent examination and treatment.

Almost every pregnant woman knows what swelling is and how to deal with it. But not everyone thinks about the nature of this phenomenon. Meanwhile, the formation of edema can be both a completely harmless physiological process and a symptom of a serious pathology.

What is dangerous swelling during pregnancy

In most cases, edema in pregnant women is physiological and does not harm either the expectant mother or her baby. To reduce them, it is enough to follow a simple diet and lie down at the end of the day, giving the legs an elevated position. More dangerous is the swelling that accompanies preeclampsia - late toxicosis. Here, the consequences of an inattentive attitude to one's health can be extremely severe:

  • preeclampsia. Severe complication, manifested by abdominal pain, fever, confused speech, blurred vision. Sometimes a woman behaves inappropriately, complains of feeling unwell;
  • eclampsia. An even more formidable complication may be accompanied by convulsions, cardiac arrest. In extremely rare situations, death occurs. How to relieve an acute condition or prevent it altogether, only a doctor can explain.

In severe forms of preeclampsia, both mother and child suffer. Sometimes doctors decide to induce preterm labor.

Edema can also signal other diseases.:

  • disturbances in the work of the heart. With such pathologies, edema is located in the lower part of the body. The woman's liver increases, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, blue lips appear. If you do not take into account the totality of symptoms, you can end up in the hospital with serious heart problems;
  • kidney dysfunction. Edema can be one of the signs of nephropathy, pyelonephritis or glomerulonephritis. At the first stage, they appear, then the arms and legs swell. This condition is accompanied by the presence of protein in the urine and high pressure. The disease must be treated.

How to determine swelling during pregnancy

During pregnancy, the tissues of the female body intensively accumulate water, which is necessary for the normal development of the fetus and the stable flow of important physiological processes. allows you to notice in time the period when the liquid becomes too much.

The process of formation of edema occurs gradually. Regardless of the cause, doctors define 4 stages in it:

  1. 1. There are slight swelling of the feet and legs. The elastic bands of the socks leave a deep, long-lasting mark on the lower leg.
  2. 2. Swelling of the feet begins, swelling of the abdomen in its lower part, swelling of the labia, swelling of the fingers, swelling of the hands. Future mother habitual shoes begin to reap. The ankle becomes noticeably wider, and the foot becomes unusually thick. When pressing on the upper part of the foot or lower leg, a hole is formed, which is not immediately smoothed out. The rings became difficult to remove or put on the fingers.
  3. 3. There is a visible swelling of the face, swelling of the nose, hands.
  4. 4. Pregnant dropsy develops - generalized edema.

Edema can also be hidden, when it is visually impossible to recognize them. In this case, the following methods are used for diagnosis:

  • 1. McClure-Aldrich test. The procedure is performed by a nurse. A small amount of saline is injected subcutaneously into a pregnant woman and the time is noted until it is completely resorbed. If the drug remains in place after 35 minutes, then there is too much water in the body;
  • 2. regular weighing. Weight gain should not exceed 400 grams per week. If the mass increases faster, and this is combined with high blood pressure and poor urine tests, the woman may have hidden edema;
  • 3. study of diuresis. A woman is asked to measure the amount of liquid she drinks, including soups, and the amount of urine shed during the day. Normally, the volume ratio is approximately 4:3.

Both external and internal edema should not be ignored, especially in early pregnancy. A doctor's consultation is required.

Treatment of edema in pregnant women

Identification of the cause and treatment of edema during pregnancy is the business of a doctor. Most of our and foreign experts believe that a slight physiological swelling of the legs and feet does not need special treatment. It is enough to follow a certain diet and rest, keeping your legs elevated. But some gynecologists believe that even the initial manifestations should not be ignored. A pregnant woman should listen to the doctor who has it.

  1. 1. Wearing compression stockings. This is especially important if a woman has problems with blood vessels. Special stockings or tights relieve pressure and help. The doctor will also tell you which gel or ointment can be used to eliminate varicose veins.
  2. 2. Taking vitamins of group B (Magne B6), E, ​​lipoic acid. The medicine will strengthen the walls of blood vessels and will not allow water to penetrate from the blood into the surrounding tissues.
  3. 3. Medications Canephron, Cyston, Phytolysin. Tablets improve kidney function, have a weak diuretic, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory effect. Drugs can also be prescribed in the form of a dropper, but only a doctor always makes a prescription. It is impossible to take medicines on your own, as there is a risk of a negative impact on the development of the child.
  4. 4. Antispasmodics: no-shpa, eufillin intramuscularly or in tablets.
  5. 5. Essentiale or Riboxin, previously diluted with the patient's blood, is administered intravenously to stimulate myocardial metabolism. For the same purpose, folic acid is prescribed.
  6. 6. Drugs that increase the production of atrial hormone: methionine, potassium orotate, nicotinic acid.
  7. 7. Diuretic drugs for a short time with severe edema in a hospital: hypothiazide, furosemide with simultaneous administration of potassium preparations.

When the situation requires medical intervention, it is not enough to know how to treat and how to relieve swelling during pregnancy. It is important to additionally select drugs that improve blood flow in the placenta in order to prevent fetal hypoxia. What funds and in what dosages should be taken is decided by the doctor based on the results of the examination of the pregnant patient.

Diet for edema during pregnancy

When asked what to do if edema appears, the doctor will definitely say: follow a diet. The diet must be balanced in such a way that salt intake is reduced. This substance contributes to the retention of water in the tissues, so it should be excluded whenever possible. Drinking is limited to 1000 ml per day for the entire period of treatment. Here are some more recommendations:

  1. 1. Avoid sugary and carbonated drinks that increase thirst. In the heat, it is better to drink plain water in small sips or take a shower. Although, today many experts say that it is impossible to limit oneself in drinking and call the figure of the consumed liquid about 1.5-2 liters per day, excluding soups.
  2. 2. Exclude smoked and fried foods, try not to use spices in cooking. It is better to cook food for a couple.
  3. 3. Be sure to eat protein-rich foods every day: fish, cottage cheese, meat.
  4. 4. Turn on in large numbers fresh fruits and vegetables that a woman used to eat before pregnancy. It is better to refuse exotic fruits and berries. It is not known how the body will react to new foods, being in this state.
  5. 5. Eat celery, parsley, watercress, apples. In small quantities, they have a diuretic effect.


It is worth asking your doctor for help in compiling a diet. Such an easy diet will benefit both mother and baby.

Folk remedies for edema during pregnancy

There is a mass folk recipes, but none of them can be called universal. For one woman, the herb helps to get rid of edema, while for another it worsens the condition. Each pregnancy proceeds differently, so it is better to coordinate the chosen recipe with a specialist.

You can reduce swelling outside the hospital in the following ways:

  1. 1. Take daily walks or do gymnastics if a woman spends most of the day sitting.
  2. 2. Brew herbal teas. Rosehip, dill, lingonberry leaf are used as tea leaves. They have a weak diuretic effect. The same effect is given by a fruit drink of cranberries, dried apricots, lingonberries, viburnum.
  3. 3. Drink birch sap three times a day for a tablespoon.
  4. 4. Brew dried apple peel and drink as a tea throughout the day.
  5. 5. Do foot baths with sea salt.
  6. 6. Take an infusion of bear's ear (bearberry).
  7. 7. Instead of regular tea, use kidney fees, which are sold in pharmacies.


In the case of severe pathologies of the heart or kidneys, a sharp deterioration may occur in a pregnant woman. In order not to put at risk, each action must be agreed with the attending physician.

Prevention of edema during pregnancy

Edema is also an aesthetic problem, numerous photos of swollen ankles confirm this. To prevent this condition or reduce the risk of its occurrence, it is necessary to take preventive measures:

  1. 1. Follow a diet so as not to gain weight too quickly.
  2. 2. Drink at least 2 liters of fluid per day to stimulate the kidneys.
  3. 3. Rest with your legs up. It is necessary that the ankles are above the level of the hips.
  4. 4. Avoid prolonged sitting or standing during the day.
  5. 5. Refuse high heels. Temporarily have to sacrifice your favorite shoes for the sake of health.

Following these simple recommendations will help a woman endure a pregnancy without education. severe edema. If, despite all the measures taken, the fluid still accumulates in excess, you need to inform your gynecologist about this.