Causes of fainting and dizziness during pregnancy – when to sound the alarm?

The time spent waiting for a baby to be born is the happiest time in any woman’s life. However, in addition to pleasant emotions, the expectant mother is accompanied by some minor annoying troubles. Some of these troubles include dizziness and fainting, the causes of which vary. Very often, dizziness is a sign of pregnancy; it is from this symptom that a woman realizes that she is pregnant.

It’s a rare pregnant woman who can boast that she has never had the feeling that the ground is starting to disappear from under her feet. And more than anything else at this moment, the expectant mother wants to sit down. Moreover, most often, pregnant women complain of dizziness in the early stages of pregnancy much more often than in later stages. Even in the medical literature describing the symptoms of pregnancy, dizziness is one of the first places. By the way, the fact that the first signs of pregnancy are dizziness and weakness is also explained by the hormonal levels of the expectant mother that have begun to change dramatically.

Fainting in early pregnancy is one of the most unpleasant phenomena. And this, in general, can be explained very, very simply - even a huge belly, which makes a woman clumsy, does not cause as much inconvenience as a feeling of nausea, dizziness and weakness. But in the early stages of pregnancy, your “interesting” position is still completely invisible to others. And your pale skin and dilated pupils may go unnoticed by others at that very moment. When you need help most - unfortunately, modern society has almost completely become indifferent and inattentive to the people around them.

But if you suddenly feel bad, and there are no loved ones nearby, be sure to turn to those around you for help, informing them about your condition. In this matter, embarrassment is completely inappropriate - after all, we are talking about the well-being of not only you, but also your baby. After all, you don’t want to spend precious time unconscious without receiving any medical help? And dizziness during pregnancy gives such a chance.

What is fainting?

Very often, people go to various extremes and confuse fainting with severe dizziness and weakness, or even with coma, becoming terribly scared. In fact, neither one nor the other is right. Doctors call fainting a short-term loss of consciousness - literally for a few seconds. A longer period of unconsciousness—several minutes or more—is a serious complication and requires the promptest possible intervention by medical professionals capable of providing professional medical care. This is true not only for fainting - nausea and dizziness during pregnancy can also indicate serious problems.

Fainting never occurs instantly - accompanying syndromes always appear first, such as:

• Feeling of pulsation in temples
• Cardiopalmus
• Dark circles before the eyes, blurred vision
• Increased sweating
• Feeling of chills or, on the contrary, heat

If a pregnant woman does not sit down and relax, a short-term loss of consciousness is possible. This is precisely the main danger of fainting - if no one supports the woman in time, she will fall. And if the fall is unsuccessful. A woman can injure herself and harm the baby, which increases the risk of miscarriage and premature birth.

How do fainting affect the course of pregnancy and the baby?

In fact, fainting in pregnant women occurs quite often. If such cases are isolated, then they do no harm.

Fainting is dangerous for a woman because in this state the body’s blood supply deteriorates, and the fall itself can be fraught with serious injury.

For the unborn child, the loss of consciousness of the mother is dangerous because he does not receive enough oxygen, and the likelihood of miscarriage and premature birth also increases.

What's happening?

Of course, such a feeling of malaise is very burdensome and frightening for the expectant mother. And if she still doesn’t know what exactly caused this condition, her anxiety and worry increase significantly - after all, any mother worries about her, even if not yet born, baby.

And, in addition, ignorance of the cause of one’s condition can sometimes lead to complications in the normal course of pregnancy. This happens if the ailments are caused not by physiological changes in the body of a pregnant woman, but by disturbances in the functioning of vital systems and organs. Dizziness and fainting during pregnancy in women can be caused by the following reasons:

• Iron-deficiency anemia

Very often, a pregnant woman feels constantly unwell, dizzy and may faint quite often. In addition, a pregnant woman may complain of a feeling of lack of oxygen, ringing in the ears, the appearance of black spots before the eyes, weakness, increased sweating, and trembling. Moreover, the effects of any external factors, such as stuffiness or large crowds of people, are not associated with this painful condition of a pregnant woman. And the cause may be simple iron deficiency anemia or, in other words, a low level of hemoglobin in the blood, which is responsible for the delivery of oxygen to the body’s cells. Most often, dizziness in late pregnancy is caused by iron deficiency anemia.

It is not difficult to detect the presence of iron deficiency anemia in a pregnant woman - all you need to do is take a blood test. A laboratory blood test will accurately determine the level of hemoglobin in the blood of a pregnant woman and allow the doctor to diagnose the absence or presence of iron deficiency anemia. This condition can be corrected quite simply - based on blood tests, the doctor will select a pharmacological preparation containing iron and the optimal dose for each individual woman. After taking a course of the drug, as a rule, anemia disappears without a trace.

However, pay attention to the following feature of the course of this disease - iron deficiency anemia can occur for a long time without any external symptoms, not manifesting itself in any way until it takes on an advanced form, in which treatment takes more time and requires some effort. This is why it is so important to diagnose the disease in time - for this purpose, a pregnant woman should regularly undergo blood tests.

• Overwork, anxiety and stress

As you know, life does not stop with the onset of pregnancy. And it’s no secret that the modern rhythm of life presents people with a lot of surprises in the form of chronic fatigue syndrome and various stresses. And if there are any problems in the family of a woman expecting a child, the situation worsens significantly.

Nevertheless, these stresses not only provoke dizziness, weakness and even fainting in a pregnant woman, but also threaten the correct harmonious development of the fetus - disruption of the formation and development of internal organs, and the normal growth of the baby. Of course, no expectant mother wants this.

Therefore, no matter how difficult it may be, a pregnant woman should follow the most gentle regimen possible. Try to rest as much as possible, walk in the fresh air, and avoid conflicts as much as possible. Remember that according to Russian law, you have the right to ask for a transfer to light work, without reducing your salary.

• Presence of chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system in a pregnant woman

Very often, women who suffered from any diseases of the cardiovascular system even before pregnancy experience frequent fainting in the early stages of pregnancy. In order to avoid this, a woman who knows about her disease must approach the issue of pregnancy responsibly and begin to prepare for it in advance by undergoing a preventive course of treatment. Otherwise, dizziness at the beginning of pregnancy will become your constant companion.

If, in this case, during pregnancy a woman experiences problems such as dizziness and fainting, she must immediately consult her doctor. Self-medication and ignoring this problem is unacceptable in any case - this jeopardizes the normal course of pregnancy and its successful completion.

• Arterial hypotension

Another very common companion of pregnancy, especially in its early stages, is arterial hypotension or, in other words, low blood pressure. With this disease, a woman’s blood pressure drops to 100 to 60 millimeters of mercury or below. This condition occurs as a consequence of disruption of the cardiovascular system, in particular, a decrease in vascular tone.

You can suspect arterial hypotension in a pregnant woman in the following situation. The woman has a fairly high level of hemoglobin in her blood and definitely does not have any chronic cardiovascular diseases. However, this woman still experiences fainting, and not just once, which can be attributed to random phenomena.

Most often, a woman’s condition worsens significantly in the following situations: a pregnant woman is in a stuffy or crowded room, spends a long time on her feet, takes a hot bath, or simply feels hungry. Even sudden mood swings in a pregnant woman can cause fainting. As a rule, the cause of the malaise is precisely the decrease in blood pressure in the expectant mother.

Pay attention to the following nuance - with low blood pressure, a pregnant woman rarely loses consciousness sharply and suddenly. As a rule, the attack develops gradually. Gynecologists call the following signs of the onset of an attack of hypertension: a woman develops a feeling of weakness, dizziness or headache. And only if the necessary measures are not taken in time, the pregnant woman loses consciousness.

If something similar happens to you, do not rush to panic - as a rule, isolated, rare cases of loss of consciousness do not cause any harm to the health of the mother or the baby. However, it is still necessary to inform the attending physician about this. The doctor will conduct the necessary examination and be able to accurately determine the cause of dizziness and fainting in a pregnant woman. And knowing the cause, in most cases, attacks can be effectively prevented.

In the same case, if you do not do this and do not establish the cause of the malaise, attacks of fainting will continue more and more often, and their duration will constantly increase. And all this cannot but affect the condition of the fetus. Indeed, during loss of consciousness, the oxygen supply to the blood deteriorates significantly and, as a result, can lead to the development of intrauterine hypoxia in the child. That is why a pregnant woman should make every effort to minimize these complications.

Causes of fainting during pregnancy

For many expectant mothers, it is fainting that becomes a harbinger of pregnancy. Of course, you can tell about a special period in your life by a delay in menstruation, general weakness and constant nausea, but frequent dizziness, ringing in the ears and the subsequent “blackout” are often exactly the sign that forces worried loved ones to ask you that very intriguing question. question. Fainting during pregnancy is quite physiological, caused by a number of factors, but still does not happen to every woman, and is less likely to occur throughout pregnancy. Most often, fainting goes away by the end of the third trimester, but it can also develop closer to the end of the term. There is a reason for everything.

Pregnancy is a period of large and small, noticeable and completely unimaginable changes in a woman’s body. And, of course, they do not bypass the cardiovascular system.

Changes in blood supply occur with a bias towards the fact that the blood flow should arrive in the pelvic area. Here the fetus will be born with its separate, but for now still closely connected with the mother, circulatory system, and for now the woman’s uterus is actively supplied with blood. Uterine blood flow before pregnancy does not exceed 2% of the total, and closer to the end of the gestation period it already takes over 20-30% of the total blood circulation in the body.

An increase in blood flow requires additional fluid, and at the same time the synthesis of blood cells will increase. The heart will work harder and will have to pump slightly larger volumes of blood than before. Of course, in the first months of pregnancy, the adaptive mechanisms are imperfect and do not fully correspond to the new needs of the female body:

• blood supply deteriorates,
• hypoxia of the brain develops, which lacks oxygen,
• dizziness, dizziness and eventually fainting occur.

predisposing to fainting during pregnancy are simply a change in body position from horizontal to vertical, returning to a vertical position after bending, staying in an upright position for a long time (tiredness from standing). If there is also not enough oxygen in the inhaled air, for example, in a stuffy or crowded room, the situation only gets worse.

At the same time, it’s no secret that throughout pregnancy a woman’s body undergoes hormonal changes. Without going into detail about the concentration of hormones in the blood of a pregnant woman, it can be noted that at one stage or another, any hormonal imbalance or restructuring may result in a decrease in blood pressure. Arterial hypotension is no less a rare cause of fainting in a pregnant woman than hypoxia. By and large, both of these reasons are interconnected. Predisposing risk factors for fainting during pregnancy in this case will be low levels of systolic and diastolic pressure before pregnancy, and excessive stress on the body - physical or mental.

In general, hypotension during pregnancy is not a critical condition and is partly even normal. Again due to the increasing volume of circulating blood. Fainting during pregnancy becomes regular when the pressure is recorded below the critical level of 90/60 mmHg. Art. This condition may require some correction, although closer to the end of pregnancy, systolic and diastolic pressure levels usually return to normal without outside help.

Another cause of fainting during pregnancy is also related to the circulatory system and is even somewhat similar to hypoxia. It’s one thing when the brain doesn’t receive enough oxygen, and another thing when it doesn’t receive enough glucose. Hypoglycemia is an equally rare factor in clouding of consciousness. A decrease in blood glucose levels can be caused by a long break between meals, satiety of the body with simple carbohydrates (confectionery, baked goods, various sweets) and, of course, existing or gestational diabetes mellitus.

Low blood pressure

Blood pressure decreases for various reasons. One of the main, most common reasons is the sharply increased load on the entire body of a pregnant woman and in particular on the cardiovascular system. Such a load causes certain changes in the functioning of the heart, which are completely natural and reversible, but can lead to fainting conditions.

The increased load on the heart occurs due to the fact that a pregnant woman’s metabolic processes in the body are significantly enhanced in order for the fetus’s nutritional needs to be fully satisfied. In addition, a pregnant woman’s total blood volume increases noticeably, as an additional placental circulation appears and a natural increase in body weight occurs.

In addition, the enlarged uterus puts pressure on the diaphragm, and creates increased pressure in the abdominal cavity of the pregnant woman. All these factors together have a direct impact on the usual rhythm of the heart. To reduce stress, the body relaxes the heart muscles. This is what ultimately leads to a decrease in blood pressure in a pregnant woman. However, this feature is typical for 6–9 months of pregnancy. Immediately before childbirth, the body mobilizes and, in preparation for the upcoming load during childbirth, returns the functioning of all systems, including the cardiovascular system, to its previous full mode.

Another common reason for low blood pressure in pregnant women is a radical change in hormonal levels, a natural process while expecting a baby. A change in the content of various hormones in a pregnant woman’s blood often leads to a change in the rhythm of work of many vital organs and systems of the body, which in turn leads to a decrease in blood pressure - regular or periodic, depending on the individual characteristics of the body of each particular woman. The causes of dizziness during pregnancy are the same as those of fainting.

Surgical pathologies

Situations in which a person may need emergency medical intervention can arise at any time and in any place. During pregnancy, the risk of such problems is slightly higher than during any other pregnancy.

In order not to harm the child and his mother, you need to seek medical help as soon as possible and try to remain calm.

“Acute abdomen” is a collective term that unites a whole group of various diseases and pathologies of internal organs that arise in the abdominal cavity. Such conditions develop very quickly and for the patient to recover, she must be immediately taken to a surgical hospital for surgical intervention.

Symptoms of such surgical pathologies are severe cutting or dull pain in the abdominal cavity, their intensity increases over time, in addition, signs of disruption of the digestive tract appear - nausea, vomiting, restriction of muscle mobility of the anterior abdominal wall, stool retention may occur. In addition to the symptoms described above, the general state of health deteriorates greatly - the patient feels severe weakness, dizziness, her skin turns pale, she sweats profusely and her blood pressure drops.

Often, signs of inflammatory changes in the abdominal cavity may appear - increased body temperature, increased breathing and heart rate.

The development of such surgical pathology can be caused by a variety of diseases, both related to the female reproductive system and related to the pathology of internal organs:

1. Ectopic pregnancy - occurs when the fertilized egg is not attached correctly - not in the uterine cavity, but in the abdominal cavity or fallopian tube. Such an egg may develop for some time, but then its development stops and a spontaneous miscarriage occurs. This pathology becomes the most common cause of the development of an “acute abdomen” in pregnant women. When pregnancy develops outside the uterine cavity, the pregnant woman feels severe pain in the lower half of the abdomen, there is no regular menstrual flow, and vaginal discharge mixed with blood appears. With a developing ectopic pregnancy, complaints may be minimal - mild pain and spotting. An interrupted ectopic pregnancy causes the patient to be admitted to the hospital. This may cause rupture of the fallopian tube or other tissues. This provokes severe pain - a “dagger” pain in the lower abdomen occurs, and blood appears from the genitals. The woman feels a sharp deterioration in her health, arising from symptoms of internal bleeding - severe weakness, possible fainting, drop in blood pressure, pain shock.

2. Uterine rupture - this pathology occurs after surgery on the uterus - cesarean section, removal of tumors, excision of the uterine angle after removal of an ectopic pregnancy. Symptoms of this pathology are a change in the shape and contours of the abdomen, severe pain in a certain place; upon palpation, you can feel the edges of the tear and scar changes.

3. Torsion of an ovarian cyst - the occurrence of such a complication is possible in the presence of formations in the ovaries. A cyst is a benign formation in the ovary, which is a cavity with fluid; if the cyst is attached to the ovary with the help of a “leg,” then there is a risk of torsion of the cyst, which disrupts the blood supply, compresses the vessels and begins tissue death. This causes severe pain, which can be provoked by any physical activity, sexual intercourse or nervous strain. Scanty vaginal discharge also appears, and other symptoms of intoxication may be present.

4. Impaired blood supply to the fibroid node - if a pregnant woman is diagnosed with uterine fibroids, as the fetus grows, compression of the vessels feeding this formation is possible, this leads to disruption of the blood supply to the fibroids and the occurrence of constant dull pain in the area of ​​the uterine fibroids.

5. Acute appendicitis - can occur at any time, up to 75% of cases of acute appendicitis in women expecting a child occur in the first months. Clinically, the disease manifests itself with a standard set of symptoms - pain in the epigastrium or in the lower third of the right abdomen. Upon examination, you can notice strong tension in the abdominal muscles. If help was not provided on time, nausea, vomiting, and a rise in body temperature occur.

6. Acute cholecystitis is an inflammatory disease of the gallbladder; it often develops in pregnant women; about 10% of all pregnant women suffer from disorders of the gallbladder, but most often the disease does not require medical attention. In case of exacerbation, the patient suffers from severe pain on the right side, radiating to the scapula and right shoulder, indomitable vomiting, which does not bring relief and deterioration of the patient’s general condition. In such cases, it is also necessary to contact emergency specialists.

7. Acute pancreatitis - occurs when the pancreas becomes inflamed. The main symptom of the disease is acute, sudden girdling pain or pain in the upper abdomen, severe nausea and vomiting, and a sharp rise in body temperature.

8. Perforation of a stomach or duodenal ulcer - if before pregnancy a woman was diagnosed with inflammation or ulcerative damage to the walls of the stomach or intestines, there is a danger of bleeding from damaged vessels or the formation of a hole in the wall of the organ - perforation. With this pathology, very severe stabbing pain, fainting, weakness occurs, and vomiting of blood is possible.

Before the ambulance arrives, in all the cases described above, it is necessary to ensure complete rest for the pregnant woman, put her on the bed and not give any painkillers and under no circumstances eat or drink until the doctors arrive. It is allowed to take antispasmodics - no-shpa, metacin - 1-2 tablets. You should not try to give an enema or flush the patient’s stomach yourself. It is also not recommended to take painkillers or laxatives - this can greatly distort the clinical picture of the disease and complicate its further diagnosis.

Treatment of fainting

Very often, pregnant women are afraid to report their fainting and dizziness to a gynecologist, believing that they will definitely be hospitalized in a hospital for treatment and preservation of pregnancy. However, this is not entirely correct. Knowing how to avoid fainting is not enough. If fainting conditions are caused by serious health problems, hospitalization is simply necessary - otherwise the life of the child and the health of the mother are at serious risk. In this case, staying at home is the height of negligence and irresponsibility - perhaps not a pregnant woman’s best friend.

If you are absolutely sure that there are no serious abnormalities in your body, and you do not suffer from chronic diseases, and also if your gynecologist gives his consent, you can deal with the problem of fainting at home . However, be prepared for the fact that you are unlikely to be able to completely normalize your blood pressure to “non-pregnant” numbers. And, strictly speaking, it’s not worth it - the main goal that a pregnant woman should pursue is stabilization of her condition and good health.

Below are the main methods for stabilizing a pregnant woman's condition and preventing fainting. All these methods are approved by leading gynecologists and will not cause any harm to either the pregnant woman or her child. However, before you put them into practice, still show your doctor - it is rare, but sometimes it happens that individual characteristics of the course of pregnancy or health conditions may become a contraindication for these methods to eliminate dizziness and weakness during pregnancy.

Pain syndrome

Very often, bearing a child is accompanied by various pain sensations; this is due to physiological changes caused by hormonal changes for bearing a child. Such symptoms are not always pathological. But it is necessary to clearly distinguish between situations in which pain is simply an unpleasant symptom of a normal pregnancy or a sign of serious problems in the health of the pregnant woman and her child.

At the beginning of pregnancy, it is normal to experience mild pain in the lower abdomen, in the lower back - lower back, in the abdomen or in the enlarged mammary glands.

Such unpleasant sensations are associated with the pressure of the growing uterus on organs and blood vessels, with sprained ligaments, and with the restructuring of the mammary glands. They are short-term, not too intense and pass quickly.

If the pain is severe, cramping, does not go away for a long time, or occurs in the genital area, uterus or lumbar region, this condition requires qualified medical care and you need to take care of your health without delay.

If very severe pain occurs, it is recommended to call emergency help, and before the doctors arrive, go to bed and take antispasmodics - no-shpa, metacin, suppositories with papaverine.

Headache during pregnancy may be one of the first signs of gestosis . An ambulance should be called if signs of pathology appear, such as severe pressing pain in the temples or the back of the head, darkness in the eyes, flashing “spots” or multi-colored spots before the eyes, nausea and vomiting, increased blood pressure, unmotivated agitation or depression. All these are signs of developing gestosis - a special pathological condition of pregnant women that requires immediate medical intervention. In addition to headaches, gestosis causes a strong increase in blood pressure, swelling, and protein is detected in urine tests. In more complex cases, a severe deterioration of the patient’s general condition, short-term stupor or loss of consciousness, and the occurrence of convulsive movements are possible. If such symptoms occur, it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance for pregnant women. Before the doctors arrive, the patient should be placed in a dark room, in complete silence; to alleviate the condition, give an elevated position in bed and monitor the patient’s condition. If your doctor has prescribed medications that lower your blood pressure, you can take them before the ambulance arrives.

Physiotherapy

There is a misconception that a pregnant woman should try to rest and lie down more. However, in reality this is not the case at all. After all, pregnancy is not a disease, and a pregnant woman is not a sick person. Such tactics can lead to a variety of consequences, in particular to excessive weight gain and problems during childbirth.

Gynecologists have long noticed a strict pattern - the more active a pregnant woman leads, the easier she tolerates the inconveniences associated with pregnancy, and the easier it is for her to give birth. Of course, we are not talking about a woman placing unbearable, exhausting physical exertion on herself. However, physical activity is simply necessary for the normal course of pregnancy. In addition, it is necessary for the well-being of the expectant mother.

A properly similar set of physical exercises not only tones the body of a pregnant woman, but also has a very beneficial effect on the functioning of the heart muscle, lungs and nervous system, and also maintains normal abdominal muscles, which is important for a pregnant woman. Well-developed abdominal muscles effectively support the expanding uterus, acting as a natural bandage, and also provide an invaluable service during pregnancy.

In addition, in women who exercise during pregnancy, their blood pressure levels return to normal very quickly and the tendency to faint disappears. Thus, exercises will help stabilize the condition of any pregnant woman.

However, under no circumstances choose a set of physical exercises on your own - this should be done by a specialist. Ask your doctor to tell you more about this - your clinic may have special classes for pregnant women. If there are none, your gynecologist will prescribe for you a whole range of exercises that you can do on your own at home.

Also in big cities there are special schools for expectant mothers, where classes are provided for pregnant women. In some of them, pregnant women do gymnastics in swimming pools. However, remember that the activities of such organizations must be licensed by the Ministry of Health. After all, pregnant women entrust to them the most precious thing - the life and health of their children.

Also remember that you can engage in physical therapy only if the pregnancy proceeds smoothly, without any serious abnormalities. Otherwise, therapeutic exercises will have a completely opposite effect and will bring a lot of trouble both to the pregnant woman herself and to the doctors. Below are some cases in which physical activity is strictly prohibited:

• Chronic cardiovascular diseases, leading to circulatory disorders and being in the acute stage. Women with such diseases should exercise only under the supervision of an experienced specialist in the field. Classes should be strictly according to an individual course, selected taking into account the course of the disease in each pregnant woman.
• Lung diseases that are in the acute stage, such as open form of tuberculosis, pulmonary neoplasms, pneumonia, pleurisy of any origin.
• Diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract in the acute stage.
• Threat of miscarriage - increased uterine tone, any type of bleeding, regardless of what caused it. By the way, I would like to note that if a pregnant woman experiences bleeding of any intensity, she needs to seek medical help as quickly as possible - this condition poses quite a big threat.
• Toxicoses of the second half of pregnancy - gestosis.
• Any acute infectious diseases.

Prevention of fainting

To facilitate the process of bearing a baby and prevent fainting during pregnancy, you need to follow a number of medical recommendations:

• eat regularly, without long breaks. The basis of the diet should be meat, dairy, fish, cereals, vegetable and fruit dishes;
• regulate physical activity, engage in physical therapy for pregnant women, gentle gymnastics and eliminate grueling workouts;
• balance the water diet - no more than 2 liters of liquid per day (together with green tea, juices, fruit drinks);
• avoid places with large crowds of people that are stuffy (public transport, crowded indoor events, etc.);
• monitor physical activity (do not make sudden movements or stay in one position for a long time);
• exclude visits to steam rooms, baths, saunas, hot baths;
• do not cause artificial destabilization of the psycho-emotional state (watching a shocking video, creating problems, etc.);
• ensure a rest regime of at least 8 hours of sleep;
• switch to a loose, comfortable wardrobe in accordance with the weather.

Systematically recurring fainting cannot be ignored. To avoid dangers for mother and baby, you need to get medical supervision in time.

Contact the specialists of the Consultative and Diagnostic Center (formerly the National Diagnostic Center). The center’s doctors will conduct a comprehensive diagnosis and select treatment, taking into account all the features of the situation. Click the “SIGN UP” button or call the numbers listed on the website.

Taking decoctions and medications

Even our grandmothers, with such complications, took various decoctions of herbs that have a tonic effect. However, be careful not to change the recommended components yourself, as many other herbs are strictly contraindicated for women during pregnancy. Do not use this decoction under any circumstances if you have previously experienced allergies to any other herbs. In addition, be sure to consult your doctor before taking the decoction.

To prepare a tonic decoction, you will need the following herbs, which can be purchased at the pharmacy:

• Herb St. John's wort
• Dry or fresh strawberry leaves
• Dry or fresh rose hips

These components must be taken in equal parts and crushed. Place three tablespoons of the mixture in a thermos, pour three glasses of boiling water. Close the thermos with a lid and leave the broth for 6 hours so that it infuses properly. After this, use a gauze cloth to strain the broth. A pregnant woman should take it at least three times a day, half a glass, half an hour before meals.

If you are not a fan of preparing various decoctions at home, you can replace them with ready-made drugs that can be easily purchased at any pharmacy without a doctor’s prescription. However, remember that even these harmless drugs can be used by a pregnant woman only after prior agreement with your attending physician - a gynecologist, who can realistically assess the possible benefits and harms of these drugs.

For example, aralia tincture can normalize low blood pressure in a pregnant woman in about one week of use. The recommended dosage of the drug is about 30 drops, which must be dissolved in half a glass of clean cold water. You need to take the tincture twice a day - in the morning on an empty stomach and before bed.

Eleutherococcus extract has approximately the same effect. However, this drug has another pleasant side effect - it increases the level of hemoglobin in the blood of a pregnant woman. This feature is especially effective in helping to normalize the condition of a pregnant woman whose doctor has diagnosed iron deficiency anemia. To achieve maximum effect, take the drug as follows - dilute 10 drops of extract in 100 grams of milk and drink 5 minutes before meals. The tincture must be taken at least 3 times a day.

The drug “Pantocrine”, which includes an extract from deer antlers, can have a very good tonic effect on the body of a pregnant woman. As a rule, there are no contraindications for taking this drug. Doctors recommend that pregnant women take the drug according to the following regimen. You need to take one tablet in the morning and evening, and two at lunchtime. You can take the tablets regardless of meals.

Preventing fainting

In addition to taking tonic medications, it is very important to take other precautions. An exhausted, tired pregnant woman is much more likely to faint than a well-rested and well-slept one. The recommended average daily sleep duration for a pregnant woman is at least 12 hours. In addition, the expectant mother should spend at least 2 hours outdoors - be sure to take a walk.

Water procedures work real miracles - swimming and swimming are very useful for expectant mothers. However, keep in mind that hot baths are strictly prohibited for pregnant women, and when taking a contrast shower, you need to make sure that the water is neither too hot nor too cold.

Be sure to pay close attention to your diet - a pregnant woman should receive all the necessary vitamins, minerals and trace elements necessary for the harmonious development of the unborn baby. It is also very important to include in a pregnant woman’s menu food rich in proteins, which are necessary for the growth of the child.

Also, gynecologists advise a pregnant woman to change her usual meal schedule - meals should be fractional. Reduce the amount of food, but increase the times you eat it. On average, a pregnant woman should eat every two hours. This measure will not only help prevent fainting, but will also relieve a pregnant woman from such an unpleasant pregnancy companion as heartburn.

Complications of fainting

As mentioned above, leaving fainting and dizziness without proper attention from the pregnant woman and gynecologists will only aggravate the situation and lead to the development of all sorts of, often quite formidable, complications of the normal course of pregnancy. Toxicosis of the first and second halves of pregnancy, the threat of spontaneous abortion, intrauterine hypoxia, miscarriage and premature birth - this is only the main, but far from complete, list of possible threatening conditions for a pregnant woman.

Also, very often, obstetricians and gynecologists during childbirth in those women who suffered from dizziness and fainting during pregnancy note a number of characteristic complications. Firstly, amniotic fluid comes out either too early or too late. Secondly, such a phenomenon as weakness of labor is very often diagnosed. And finally, bleeding - they can occur both during childbirth and in the early postpartum period. The peculiarity of women with low blood pressure is that even a relatively small loss of blood can lead a woman to such a state that she will need the help of resuscitators.

The postpartum period in women with low blood pressure is also often complicated by various factors. Discharge after childbirth in such women continues longer than usual. This happens due to the fact that the uterus does not contract effectively enough. And, in addition, various inflammatory processes in the uterine cavity are often encountered - in particular, acute postpartum endometritis.

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First aid for fainting

However, sometimes a pregnant woman still faints, despite all the preventive measures taken. And therefore, it is very important to know how emergency care is provided correctly if a pregnant woman faints. It is very important for the relatives and friends of a pregnant woman to know this information, since most often they are the ones who have to provide first aid.

The most important thing that needs to be done immediately is to lay the unconscious pregnant woman on a horizontal surface so that her head is at the same level as her heart, but in no case higher. Free the pregnant woman from oppressive clothing - unbutton the collar, untie the belt.

Be sure to always keep ammonia on hand in your first aid kit - if the pregnant woman has not regained consciousness after one minute, you can sniff a cotton swab soaked in ammonia. Under no circumstances should you sniff a jar of ammonia - this can cause a burn to the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx. And if a woman has severe dizziness during pregnancy, there is no need to use ammonia.

After the woman comes to her senses, it will be very useful to give her 30 drops of cardiomin and drink hot tea with lemon, which also has a good tonic effect. Be sure to inform your gynecologist about the incident and, if he deems it necessary, seek help from a medical facility. After all, it is not always when a woman faints that first aid is the only thing necessary.

If a pregnant woman suddenly feels acutely unwell - dizziness, lightheadedness, ringing in the ears, blurred vision - she needs to try to lie down as quickly as possible, or at least sit down if this happens outside the home. Under no circumstances should you be shy - ask for help from the people around you, telling them that you feel bad - no one will refuse help to the expectant mother; emergency care for fainting is very important.

Consequences of fainting

Fainting during pregnancy is impossible to predict. It happens to every woman who is expecting an unborn child. But this does not mean at all that such conditions have a positive effect on health. It is better to avoid losing consciousness if possible.

The unpleasant consequences and dangers are:

1. The blood supply in the female body is much worse. For this reason, certain difficulties arise during pregnancy. For example, bleeding begins.
2. If you faint, you can get injured. They provoke complications during pregnancy.
3. Frequent loss of consciousness impairs blood supply to the uterus. This causes fetal hypoxia.
4. Fainting during pregnancy is dangerous because if the expectant mother constantly does not get out of this state, then this provokes the loss of the child.

Fainting can occur for a variety of reasons. It is important to identify their cause in time and, if necessary, seek help from a medical specialist.