Generality
Within certain limits, the phenomenon of swollen feet in pregnancy is a physiological consequence of gestation, especially in the last quarter.
There are several remedies to moderate and / or prevent swelling of the feet. First of all, it is good to rest and avoid standing for a long time; after that, it is a good idea to do moderate exercise, take care of your diet, wear comfortable shoes, etc.
Except for complications, such as preeclampsia, swollen feet in pregnancy disappear after delivery, within a week.
Symptoms
Swollen feet in pregnancy are one of the possible effects of water retention, which takes place in the body tissues of pregnant women, especially during the last gestation period. For this reason, swelling of the feet and of other districts is considered, except for deterioration, a physiological response of the body that is preparing for childbirth.
It is easy enough to notice their onset, because the skin takes on a very particular appearance; in fact, the skin appears as stretched, shiny and, obviously, swollen.
Water retention, in addition to affecting the feet, can also involve the legs, buttocks, hands and face.
DEFINITION OF WATER RETENTION
In medicine, water retention is the tendency to retain fluids in the body, both inside the tissues and in the body's preformed cavities. The stagnation of these fluids determines the swelling of the interested sites and manifests itself with a characteristic sign: the edema .
Moreover, in the long run, toxic substances accumulate in the stagnant liquid, which complicate the situation.
The liquids, to which we refer when we talk about water retention, have a blood origin: in fact, they are made up of plasma, which comes out of the venous vessels. Containing water, minerals and proteins, the plasma is the non-corpuscular part of the blood .
A characteristic sign of water retention : the skin of a person with strong water retention, if pressed with a finger, forms a concavity, very similar to a hole, which disappears within a few seconds / minute.
To assess the degree of water retention, the doctor uses this characteristic for a test: he presses at a point, where water retention is evident (usually the thigh), and he observes how deep the footprint is and how long it takes for to disappear.
WHEN DO YOU GET INFLUENTLY?
Figure: typical formation of a dimple (called fovea) after compressing the swelling with a finger. From the site: www.mayoclinic.org
Water retention is a typical phenomenon of the last trimester of pregnancy, but the swelling is particularly accentuated in the last two / three weeks of gestation.
Causes
Swollen feet during pregnancy are caused by the stagnation of body fluids in the tissues; in other words, from a water retention process. To favor these processes is the state of pregnancy itself. For what reason?
- During pregnancy, the blood changes composition, increasing the liquid part (the plasma) compared to the corpuscular one (red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets). The non-corpuscular part, as we have said, is the liquid that causes the phenomenon of water retention.
- From the first moments, in pregnant women, there is an increase in the levels of a hormone, progesterone . This hormone, acting as a vasodilator, slows down blood circulation and promotes blood stasis, thus leading to water retention.
- In the last quarter, the uterus grows noticeably, compressing the venous vessels that carry blood from the lower parts of the body (feet and legs) to the heart. This makes it difficult to ascend the bloodstream and favors the retention of fluids along the lower limbs.
FACTORS ACCENTUATING SYMPTOMS
Worsening the swelling of the feet, sometimes even in a decisive manner, can be a combination of several factors, such as: overweight or obesity, high temperatures (ie atmospheric heat ) and standing for long periods of time.
The influence of overweight and obesity is explained by the fact that body fluids tend to stagnate more easily in adipose tissue ; in overweight and obese women, the fat content is considerable.
Atmospheric heat increases the dilation of blood vessels and, on the other hand, slows blood circulation, favoring blood stasis; in other words, a behavior similar to that described above for progesterone is observed.
Finally, standing up for many hours, due to gravity, makes it more difficult for the blood to rise upwards and, as in the case of atmospheric heat, increases blood stasis in the lower limbs.
Remedies
In most pregnant women, swollen feet in pregnancy begin to deflate immediately after birth and, within a week or so, a return to normality is observed.
Nevertheless, both during the acute phase (last weeks of pregnancy) and after childbirth (to speed healing), the following remedies can be put into practice:
- Avoid standing for long . If this advice cannot be followed, care should be taken to balance body weight on both feet.
- Rest and postures to be taken . One of the most important remedies is to rest with the legs and feet held higher than the hips, at least an hour a day. This position, in fact, due to the effect of gravity, favors the return of venous blood from the lower limbs towards the heart. A sofa is the ideal sofa where you can take this posture, however you get the same result, lying on a bed and putting one or two pillows under your feet.
Finally, avoid crossing your legs.
- Wear comfortable shoes . It may be useful to obtain shoes without laces and a larger size, so as not to increase blood stasis. Shoes that are too narrow, in fact, tend to block the circulation of blood and body fluids.
- Perform foot exercises . Bend and lengthen the feet and rotate the ankles clockwise and anticlockwise, all for a different number of times and for several series a day; similar movements promote blood circulation and reduce blood stasis in body tissues
- Do moderate exercise . To promote blood circulation and venous return, it can be useful to take walks. Obviously, the amount of exercise performed must be adequate and not excessive.
- Avoid excessively hot environments . If it is possible, during the day, it is good to avoid environments that are too hot or to be exposed to the summer sun in the central hours of the day.
- Wear compression stockings . They are particular elastic stockings, which favor blood and lymphatic circulation (ie lymph).
- Natural remedies . Natural remedies include foot and ankle massage, acupuncture, aromatherapy and herbal medicine. Before practicing some of these treatments, it is advisable to consult your doctor.
HOW DOES THE NATURAL HEALING MAKE AFTER THE CHILD?
After giving birth, swollen feet, as well as other parts of the body subject to retention, deflate and return to normal, thanks to an increase in sweating and renal activity, which raises the daily amount of urine eliminated.
Warning : if the problems persist for more than a week, no improvement is seen and if you experience leg pains and severe headaches, consult your doctor and undergo clinical tests.
Prevention
Swollen feet in pregnancy are a condition that cannot be completely prevented, as, as has been said, they are the result of a physiological response of the body to the state of pregnancy.
However, this does not mean that the severity of water retention cannot be reduced in any way. By adopting a healthy and balanced diet, it is possible to keep body weight under control, promote diuresis and improve blood circulation.
Below, we report the dietary precautions that generally take place during the swelling of the feet, hands, hips and legs.
- Don't eat too much . Pregnancy requires a higher calorie intake than normal, it is true, but do not overdo it. As we have seen, in fact, weight gain is one of the factors responsible for water retention.
- Do not exceed in starchy foods, especially those containing yeast (bread, pizza, etc.), as they tend to increase swelling.
- Avoid salty, fatty, poorly digestible foods, because they tend to favor water retention. In addition, it is advisable to avoid certain packaged foods, as they contain unknown quantities of salt (therefore not controllable) and, often, excessive.
- Drink plenty of water to promote renal activity and diuresis.
- Increase the intake of foods such as fruits and vegetables . Fruits and vegetables are healthy foods, favor diuresis and contain many fibers, which regulate intestinal activity. Furthermore, the fruit partially replaces the eliminated starchy foods.
- Increase the intake of vitamin-rich foods . Vitamins are contained not only in fruit and vegetables, but also in olive oil, almonds, peanuts, wheat germ, etc.
- Increase the intake of foods, which are known to improve blood circulation . Some examples of foods favoring blood circulation are: garlic, onion and berries.
When should I go to the doctor?
Possible complications
Preeclampsia symptoms
- Strong headache
- Vision problems, such as blurred vision
- Abdominal pains
- He retched
Sometimes, excessive swelling in the feet and in other parts of the body is a sign of a syndrome feared by pregnant women, known as preeclampsia or gestosis . In addition to strong water retention, preeclampsia is also characterized by: proteinuria and hypertension .
Proteinuria is the increase in protein in the eliminated urine, while hypertension is the increase in blood pressure.
In case of suspected preeclampsia (see the symptoms on the side), it is good to immediately undergo all the necessary investigations, as the situation could further degenerate, seriously endangering the mother.
