Feeling faint or dizzy is a common symptom during pregnancy. It is typical in the first trimester, but some women may experience it throughout the pregnancy. Often, it is an annoyance more than a significant problem. However, some pregnant women have severe dizziness, which causes fainting and makes it difficult to do their daily activities. While it is better to discuss this symptom with your doctor, read on to learn the causes, symptoms, and how to manage it.
Pregnancy symptoms of dizziness are the sensation of fainting, being unsteady, and being lightheaded, which are caused by the physiological changes in a woman’s body. It is a common symptom in early pregnancy and is caused due to the bodily shifts to support the growing fetus. The signs of dizziness in pregnancy are:
● Feeling unsteady or faint
● Difficulty seeing clearly or focusing
● Feeling of nausea
● Sudden sweating and clamminess along with lightheadedness
● A feeling of fatigue
● Vertigo
Many pregnancy dizziness causes include hunger, hormonal changes, and problems with blood vessels or the heart. Read below for more details on these:
This can be one of the causes of dizziness. Ectopic pregnancy is a condition when the fertilised eggs, instead of implanting in the uterus, lodge outside of the uterus. The pregnancy is not viable in this type of pregnancy, and the doctor may prescribe medication or do a procedure to remove the egg. The symptoms of this condition are dizziness, abdominal pain, and vaginal bleeding.
The symptoms of morning sickness are headaches, nausea, vomiting, or a combination. But, for some women, dizziness is also a symptom and affects any time of the day. The morning sickness may get worse when a woman is tired or hungry, with the symptoms getting more intense during the first three months of pregnancy and easing in the second trimester. Women with severe morning sickness have a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum, which causes dehydration. This condition, which can also cause pregnancy complications, often lasts the whole pregnancy. Anyone who has frequent vomiting should consult their healthcare provider.
The body produces many hormones during pregnancy, and one of them is relaxin, which dilates the blood vessels. This enables more blood flow to the developing fetus. However, enhanced blood flow means that blood return to the mother’s head is slow, which causes dizziness when exerted or when doing something quickly.
This typically happens in the second or third trimester, when the growing uterus impinges on the blood vessels, causing dizziness. It is also common when the baby is huge. Another cause of dizziness is lying on the back. In the last trimester, lying on the back causes the growing uterus to block the flow of blood to the heart from the lower extremities, causing dizziness and other symptoms. So, sleep on the sides to prevent this block from happening.
Some women may feel dizzy when hungry. During the middle and last part of the pregnancy, women require more calories to sustain the fetus and their bodies. This makes them feel hungry more frequently, and if not addressed immediately, it can cause the blood glucose to drop, increasing dizziness.
The body uses insulin to digest glucose and convert it into energy. However, the body can’t use insulin effectively even in a healthy pregnancy, resulting in mild insulin resistance. Left uncontrolled, it can cause gestational diabetes in some women. This can make them feel dizzy due to high blood sugar, hunger, or when medication for diabetes results in blood sugar plummeting.
The uterus expands in the latter part of pregnancy, putting pressure on the lungs and other organs. This pressure makes the expansion of the lungs difficult during breathing. As breathing becomes more difficult, the body needs more oxygen. So pregnant women feel dizzy when they feel too hot, breathe heavily, or exercise.
Low blood pressure dizziness in pregnancy is called Vasovagal syncope. It is a condition when there is a sudden drop in blood pressure, typically due to stress or anxiety. This condition happens during pregnancy for some women as there is added stress on the body. For instance, a woman who has a needle phobia may feel dizzy when getting a routine blood test done during pregnancy. Vasovagal Syncope is typically not a sign that something is wrong, but it may indicate an irregular heart rhythm in some women. A murmur is not uncommon in pregnancy as there is increased body fluids. Anyone with this symptom should consult a doctor, even if it is resolved without treatment.
When the body does not have enough folic acid and iron, healthy RBCs are reduced during pregnancy, resulting in anaemia. One of the common symptoms of anaemia is dizziness, which can also make you feel short of breath, tired, and pale.
Dizziness is not uncommon during pregnancy, but it can be a sign of a serious problem, such as a blood clot, infection, or high blood pressure in some women. If you have intense and sudden dizziness, you should immediately seek help from a healthcare provider.
The pregnancy dizziness treatment depends on the cause. In most cases, the doctor will check the symptoms and recommend treatment at home. Some options are:
● Antinausea drugs
● Vitamin B6 for morning sickness
● Dietary and lifestyle changes to manage blood sugar
● Antibiotics for dizziness because of an infection
● Insulin or other medicines for gestational diabetes
If the cause is a serious health problem, it may require hospital treatment and monitoring.
While there are many tips to reduce dizziness during pregnancy, here are some useful suggestions:
● Avoid standing for a long time. Ensure to move your feet to increase blood circulation.
● Eat at frequent intervals and avoid long gaps between meals. Snack throughout the day instead of having a heavy meal.
● Avoid hot showers or bath
● Do not lie on the back after your first trimester
● Get up or lie down slowly with no quick movements.
● Wear comfortable and loose clothes to allow blood circulation
Dizziness is common during pregnancy and is caused by many factors. If you experience it, talk to your healthcare provider, and they will monitor you and the baby to ensure that you and the baby are healthy. Depending on the cause, look for ways to reduce the symptoms. Drink plenty of water, eat healthy food, and avoid long periods of standing to reduce dizziness.
If you have persistent dizziness along with severe headaches, blurred vision, fainting, chest pain, or abdominal pain, contact your doctor immediately.
Yes. Dizziness can be a sign of anaemia. A simple blood test can determine if anaemia is the cause of your dizziness.
Yes. Pregnancy hormones cause dizziness.
Hydrating foods like oranges, watermelon, green leafy vegetables, water, and ginger are some of the best foods to prevent dizziness in pregnancy.