What should I do if I experience chest tightness and shortness of breath in late pregnancy? Will it affect the fetus?

It takes a woman ten months to give birth to a child. When a woman enters the late stage of pregnancy, her belly becomes bigger and her body becomes heavier, so she will feel tired when doing anything. Even if you walk a few more steps, you will breathe heavily, feel a stuffy feeling in your chest, and have difficulty breathing. These symptoms indicate that you have reached the stage of "shortness of breath in the late pregnancy."

1. Why do expectant mothers experience shortness of breath?

During pregnancy, you need to breathe more oxygen, and your body adjusts accordingly to meet your oxygen needs. The increase in hormones during pregnancy, especially progesterone, directly affects your lungs and stimulates the respiratory center in your brain. During pregnancy, the number of breaths you take per minute doesn't change much, but the amount of air you breathe in each time increases significantly, causing shortness of breath.

At the same time, the enlarged uterus puts pressure on the diaphragm, which can make you feel that breathing is more difficult, especially for expectant mothers who have a high fetal position or are carrying multiple babies. Breathing will be more difficult. Generally, in the weeks before labor begins, especially if this is your first baby, you may feel less shortness of breath. At this time, some expectant mothers will have a sense of relief, a feeling that the fetus is descending, which is mostly because the fetus has entered the pelvis.

2. Does shortness of breath in expectant mothers affect the fetus?

Expectant mothers can rest assured that shortness of breath has no effect on the fetus. Shortness of breath during pregnancy is a very normal phenomenon. As long as you keep the indoor air circulating and fresh and inhale an appropriate amount of oxygen, it will not affect the fetus. If shortness of breath is caused by increased abdominal pressure affecting the respiratory movement of the diaphragm and thoracic respiratory muscles, the expectant mother needs to pay attention to her sleeping position and try to choose the left side sleeping position to reduce pressure and relieve shortness of breath symptoms. However, if you suddenly feel that shortness of breath becomes more severe during pregnancy, you need to see a doctor promptly.

How to relieve the feeling of shortness of breath during pregnancy?

If a pregnant mother experiences shortness of breath during pregnancy, don't be nervous. Shortness of breath during pregnancy is usually not a big deal and is very normal. You can slow down your pace of life and don't push yourself too much when doing activities or exercising. When sitting, standing or walking, try to keep your upper body straight, shoulders back, and lungs expanded as much as possible. When you sleep at night, you can sleep on your side and use an extra pillow to elevate your head, which may make you feel better. If you suddenly feel short of breath, stop what you are doing, try to take a deep breath, and consciously slow down and relax.

4. Does shortness of breath during pregnancy indicate certain diseases?

It is possible. If the expectant mother has any of the following symptoms in addition to shortness of breath, she should go to the hospital immediately:

1. Asthma worsens.

2. Breathing becomes faster.

3. Rapid heartbeat, palpitations or dizziness.

4. Chest pain or pain when breathing.

5. Purple areas around lips, fingers or toes, or pale face.

6. You clearly feel that you are lacking oxygen.

7. Persistent cough, accompanied by fever or chills, or coughing up blood.