You may be out of breath now because you need more oxygen during pregnancy, and your body adapts to meet this need in several ways. Rising hormones, particularly progesterone, directly affect your lungs and stimulate the respiratory center in your brain. And although the number of breaths you take per minute changes very little during pregnancy, the amount of air you inhale and exhale with each breath increases significantly. Show
Being short of breath in early pregnancy may feel more like a heightened awareness of the need to breathe. Later in pregnancy, your breathing might feel more labored as your growing uterus puts pressure on your diaphragm – especially if you're carrying your baby high, are pregnant with multiples, or have excessive amniotic fluid. Shortness of breath during pregnancy can also be aggravated by a preexisting condition, such as asthma, anemia, or high blood pressure. You may get some breathing relief a few weeks before you're due, especially if it's your first pregnancy, because this is when the baby often drops into your pelvis as labor approaches (called lightening). Is it possible to have shortness of breath in very early pregnancy?It is possible to have shortness of breath in very early pregnancy, although it's more common to experience this later in pregnancy, especially in the third trimester. If you do experience it early on, it's likely due to increased progesterone, which begins rising at the beginning of the first trimester. This can come as a surprise but it doesn't indicate that anything is amiss – this tends to be due to normal changes in your hormone levels. The good news is that the hormone also expands your lung capacity so you can take in more oxygen for your baby. That means you can take deeper breaths, which may be helpful to alleviate the issue. However, if you're experiencing other symptoms like chest pain or rapid heartbeat, seek medical attention immediately. What can I do if I have shortness of breath during pregnancy?If you're feeling a little breathless, try these tips for relief:
Can having shortness of breath during pregnancy lead to any complications?If you have occasional shortness of breath – especially in your third trimester when baby might be pressing upward – it shouldn't be a concern. But it is possible that it could worsen if you have another respiratory problem, such as asthma or the flu. Up to 45 percent of women with asthma experience worsening symptoms during pregnancy, and severe bouts could be harmful to both you and your baby. Pregnant women with respiratory illnesses like the flu often have more serious symptoms and are more likely to develop complications, such as pneumonia. (That's why it's important to get a flu shot if you're pregnant during flu season.) Also, because of changes in the way your blood clots during pregnancy, you're at higher risk for developing a blood clot that goes to your lungs (pulmonary embolism). This condition is rare but very serious. Another concern is COVID-19, since it's a respiratory illness. Pregnant women who contract the virus are at increased risk of pregnancy complications like preterm birth, stillbirth, or passing the infection to your baby. Like the flu vaccine, it's important to also get the COVID-19 vaccine if you're pregnant. When should I call my doctor about shortness of breath during pregnancy?If you're having mild shortness of breath when doing an activity like walking up stairs or carrying something heavy, it's probably okay to just observe yourself and make sure it passes when you pause and relax for a few minutes. However, if you have severe symptoms you'll need to call your doctor right away. These include: In this article
What causes breathlessness in pregnancy?Breathlessness is very common in pregnancy (Weinberger 2019). It can strike at any point over the 40 weeks, but it’s most common late in the third trimester. That’s when your growing baby pushes up into the muscle under your ribcage (diaphragm) (Weinberger 2019). This then presses on your lungs. It can be uncomfortable, and sometimes feels scary, but it won't harm you or your baby.You may notice that you become more breathless when you climb stairs or carry heavy shopping. If you have gained a lot of weight in pregnancy or are expecting twins or more, you may feel particularly breathless. Some women feel breathless earlier in their pregnancy too, even in the first trimester before their bump starts to show (Weinberger 2019). That’s because of the changes your body is going through as it adapts to carrying your baby. When you’re pregnant you need to take in more oxygen so you breathe more deeply (Harding 2016). That can sometimes make it feel as if you’re struggling to get enough air (Harding 2016). It can be alarming, but it’s totally normal and isn’t dangerous for you or your baby. You’re actually breathing more efficiently when you’re pregnant, although you might not feel like you are (Murray and Hassall 2014). Occasionally, breathlessness can be a symptom of anaemia. This means you're low in the iron that is used to help your blood cells carry oxygen around your body (Schwartzstein 2019). Without enough iron, your body has to work harder to provide enough oxygen for you and your baby. If you have asthma, check with your midwife or doctor that your breathlessness is not due to this condition. Very occasionally breathlessness may be because of something serious that is unrelated to your pregnancy. Call your doctor or midwife straight away if you are breathless and you also have chest pain, palpitations, a racing pulse, or clammy fingers and toes. These symptoms could indicate a more serious problem such as a heart or lung condition (Quigley et al 2014, Weinberger 2019). How can I avoid becoming breathless?You may not be able to prevent it entirely. Some women feel more breathless than others in pregnancy, even if they are fit and have never suffered from breathlessness before.It helps to maintain a healthy weight, though, as you’re more prone to feeling breathless when you’re overweight. Eating healthily will keep you on track. Try to cut out food that's high in fat, salt and sugar and do gentle exercise such as yoga classes, walking in the fresh air or swimming to help stay fit. Some women find that the controlled breathing taught in yoga classes helps them to cope better with that feeling of pregnancy breathlessness, although there’s no evidence that it eases it. Take care when exercising and don't allow yourself to become so out of breath that you feel dizzy. Always let your exercise instructor know that you are pregnant, or go to classes that are tailored to pregnant women. Drink plenty of water every day. Try to avoid drinks that make you dehydrated, such as coffee and cola. These make you wee more often, meaning that your body is getting rid of water. Also, tea and coffee contain tannin, which makes it harder for your body to absorb iron from food (NHS 2018a). Try to eat iron-rich foods, such as red meat, eggs, beans, pulses and leafy green vegetables. Eating foods that are high in vitamin C, such as oranges, grapefruits, strawberries and kiwis, also helps your body to absorb iron from your food (NHS 2018a). If you think you may be anaemic, or if you find it difficult to eat enough iron-rich foods, you could try a multivitamin tablet or a liquid iron supplement. Talk to your midwife before you take any supplements, though. Ask for help with tasks that are hard work, such as lifting heavy shopping bags or carrying heavy washing. If your work involves anything that may cause breathlessness, talk to your manager. Your employer should carry out a risk assessment of your role, now that you're pregnant. Tasks that make you out of breath could be reassigned to a colleague. How can I ease breathlessness?Try to keep an upright posture, with shoulders back, to give your lungs more space as your bump grows. When you’re feeling breathless, it can help to stand upright and hold your hands above your head, while you take deep breaths (Murray and Hassall 2014).You could try practising some breathing exercises in preparation for labour. They may help you to feel more relaxed and in control of your breathing. Our hypnobirthing audio guides you through a gentle breathing technique. Will complementary therapies help with breathlessness?There's no good evidence that complementary therapies can help with breathlessness during pregnancy. However, many complementary therapies can make you feel more relaxed, which may help you feel less breathless. If you want to try a complementary therapy treatment, choose a registered, qualified practitioner who is experienced in and insured to treat pregnant women.Acupuncture Acupuncture aims to help your body function more efficiently (Lee and Frazier 2011). Your practitioner inserts fine needles into certain points in your body. It's hard to say if acupuncture helps with breathlessness, as research about acupuncture is generally mixed. However, acupuncture can cause your body to release natural painkillers called endorphins (NHS 2016), so you may find the treatment relaxing. Osteopathy Osteopathy, and the similar therapy of chiropractic, are manual therapies that aim to realign your body and reduce muscle tension and pressure on your joints. While they can be helpful for lower back pain, there's no evidence that they can ease breathlessness (NHS 2018b). However, you may feel that relaxing your body and improving your posture will help you to breathe more easily. Rescue remedy If you become so breathless that you start to feel anxious or panicky, you could try the natural anti-stress treatment Rescue Remedy. Although there's no evidence that Rescue Remedy is effective (Ernst 2010), many women find it helpful for easing anxiety. Rescue Remedy is preserved in brandy although you only take four drops at a time. If you don't want even a few drops of alcohol in pregnancy, you may prefer not to use it. Watch our video to see new mums talking about what other pregnancy side effects they experienced. ReferencesErnst, E. 2010. Bach flower remedies: a systematic review of randomised clinical trials. Swiss Medical Weekly. 140:w13079. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov [Accessed December 2019].Harding M. 2016. Physiological changes in pregnancy. patient.info [Accessed December 2019] Lee EJ, Frazier SK. 2011. The efficacy of acupressure for symptom management: a systematic review. J Pain Symptom Manage. 42(4): 589-603 Murray I, Hassall J. 2014. Change and adaptation in pregnancy. In: Marshall JE, Raynor MD. eds. Myles textbook for midwives. 16th ed. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 143-77 NHS. 2016. Acupuncture. NHS, Health A-Z [Accessed December 2019] NHS. 2018a. Iron deficiency anaemia. NHS, Health A-Z. www.nhs.uk [Accessed December 2019] NHS. 2018b. Osteopathy. NHS, Health A-Z [Accessed December 2019] Quigley J, Keating A, Byrd L. 2014. Fatigue and breathlessness in pregnancy: a rare and sinister cause. BMJ Case Rep. pii: bcr2014205441. Schwartzstein, RM. 2019. Physiology of dyspnea. UpToDate. www.uptodate.com [Accessed December 2019] Weinberger, SE. 2019. Maternal adaptations to pregnancy: Physiologic respiratory changes and dyspnea. UpToDate. www.uptodate.com [Accessed February 2020] Show references Hide references How long does shortness of breath in pregnancy last?Many pregnant people may experience more noticeable shortness of breath in the second trimester, which lasts until about week 28.
Why do I struggle to breathe when pregnant?In the last trimester of pregnancy, your growing baby pushes your uterus against your diaphragm. The diaphragm is moved up about 4 centimeters from its prepregnancy position. Your lungs are also somewhat compressed. This all means that you're unable to take in as much air with each breath.
Does my shortness of breath affect the baby?Mild shortness of breath is usually nothing to worry about and doesn't affect the amount of oxygen delivered to the baby. Conditions that affect your breathing have the potential to worsen during pregnancy.
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How to overcome shortness of breath during pregnancy
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