Changes in circulation during pregnancy

During pregnancy many changes occur in the woman's body. Some organs move to leave more space to the uterus, which will grow as the months pass. The cardiovascular system of the pregnant woman is also affected by these changes in the woman's body. Hence, during pregnancy, women feel that their 'rhyt

During pregnancy many changes occur in the woman's body. Some organs move to leave more space to the uterus, which will grow as the months pass.

The cardiovascular system of the pregnant woman is also affected by these changes in the woman's body. Hence, during pregnancy, women feel that their 'rhythm' is different. Sometimes she feels more tired. Other, accelerated. We explain why.

The changes in the cardiovascular system of the pregnant woman

The first changes in the cardiovascular system se are seen early, so already during the first trimester of pregnancy can be observed in the pregnantboth an increase in heart rate and a relaxation of the vessel walls .Later, an increase in circulating blood volume can be observed, which is produced, among other reasons, by the need to irrigate the fetus and the placenta. This increase in volume occurs in parallel with a

increase in blood cells so in a pregnant woman we will find lower hemoglobin and hematocrit figures than in a non-pregnant woman, being these completely normal. Due to these two last changes, the volume of blood that pumps the heart of the pregnant woman, to face the new demands, increases. The heart, when displaced by the effect of the increase of the uterus from its normal position, shows alterations in the electrocardiogram that we also consider physiological, as well as the change in the tone of cardiac auscultation. Also due to the effect of overexertion performed during pregnancy,

the heart hypertrophies on some occasions .Blood pressure decreases

during the first half of pregnancy, to increase again. The pressure in the internal members due to the compression of the vessels by the uterus, which makes the flow more intense and can produce varicose veins and edema, besides favoring the appearance of thromboembolic problems The compression syndrome of the vein Cava in pregnant women

In the later stages of pregnancy, when the pregnant woman is lying on her back (supine ulna), the uterus can compress

the vena cava which is one of the vessels that takes care of transporting the venous return of the lower half of the uterus, producing hypotension in women. This can be avoided by raising the head slightly or by slightly turning the pregnant woman's body to the left a minimum of 15 degrees.