Pregnancy edema: fluid retention during pregnancy

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Symptoms of edema

Your legs, ankles, feet, arms, hands and sometimes even your eyelids and face can become a bit swollen. If you press the skin of the swollen body part with your finger, an imprint will remain in the skin for a while. You may also have a heavy feeling or even pain in your legs. A swollen face is also called a 'full moon face'. This is especially noticeable in the morning when you get up and becomes less as the day progresses.

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Cause of pregnancy edema

Pregnancy edema is the result of a number of changes that the fluid balance and blood supply undergo during pregnancy.

• The hormonal changes cause the blood vessels to become thinner and weaker. This allows more fluid than normal to be secreted into the surrounding tissues.
• The amount of blood in your body increases. The speed at which blood is pumped back from the legs or arms is slower. Because the blood flows more slowly, the drainage of fluids is also slower. This can cause more pressure in the legs, among other things.
• As pregnancy progresses, the increasing size and weight of the abdomen puts pressure on the blood vessels to the legs, partially constricting them.

Tips against pregnancy edema

• Drink plenty of fluids (at least 1.5 to 2 litres), because drinking helps to remove extra fluid more quickly.
• Avoid standing for long periods of time.
• If you suffer from swollen feet, ankles and/or legs, rest with your legs slightly higher than your body. Also sleep with your legs slightly higher than your head. This allows the fluid to drain more easily.
• Avoid high temperatures from saunas, sun and sunbeds, hot baths, epilation with hot wax.
• Keep moving. Practice a sport that involves a lot of leg movement, such as walking, running, cycling or swimming.
• Massage your swollen legs. Do this from your ankles to your knees.
• Take alternating showers: spray your legs alternately with hot and cold water.
• Wear shoes with a low, wide heel. Avoid high heels, because they reduce the pumping function of the calf muscles. Completely flat is also not ideal. A heel of 3 to 4 cm is best.
• Wear support or compression stockings if necessary. Put them on while lying down before getting up.
• Diuretic medications are not recommended during pregnancy.

Consult a doctor or midwife immediately if you have severe fluid retention in your limbs and face accompanied by headache, nausea, stomach pain, tingling fingers and blurred vision. This could be a sign of pre-eclampsia. Sudden fluid retention in your legs could also be a sign of a blood clot that is blocking the drainage of fluid.

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