Changes in the respiratory system in pregnancy
During pregnancy, most of the most important organs in a woman's body move. The reason is that they must leave room for the baby. The uterus will grow as the months of pregnancy pass and organs such as the heart, stomach and diaphragm , must give up their space. Hence, the pregnant woman notices cer
During pregnancy, most of the most important organs in a woman's body move. The reason is that they must leave room for the baby.
The uterus will grow as the months of pregnancy pass and organs such as the heart, stomach and diaphragm, must give up their space. Hence, the pregnant woman notices certain discomforts, especially related to changes in the circulatory system and that greater 'difficulty' to breathe, due to the diaphragm modification.
Changes in the respiratory system of the pregnant woman
The uterine growth modifies, for example, the position of the diaphragm and the thoracic cage, increasing its circumference in response to the diaphragmatic elevation. Due to these changes the volumes of the different pulmonary capacities are modified as well.
These changes are also manifested with subjective feeling of shortness of breath(dyspnea), this being one of the frequent reasons for consultation in the emergency of pregnant women.
Hormones and changes in breathing during pregnancy
Pregnancy hormones also cause changes in the airways increasing and decreasing the resistance of the same depending on the area. In addition, due to the effect of these hormones, the mucosa that covers the respiratory tract is very vascularized, favoring bleeding, especially through the nose, throat discomfort and changes in the voice. These changes (both anatomical and physiological) inthe respiratory system
also produce changes at the acid-base balance of the pregnant woman. The pregnant woman has tendency to the respiratory alkalosis (increase of the ph of the sanguineous plasma), because to the hiperventilar, it eliminates an excess of CO2 . This favors the stimulation of the respiratory center of the pregnant woman. This hyperventilation in pregnant women, on the one hand can cause constant dizziness and even some fainting in the pregnant woman, but also favors the future baby receives more oxygen.
