Pregnant woman with swollen legs

Introduction About 40% of women in the third trimester have calf edema. It is convenient to have partial depression before pressing the inside of the ankle or the calf of the calf with a finger. If the range of edema is limited to the knee, it can still be resolved after a night of sleep, without blood pressure or proteinuria.

Cause

For most pregnant women, lower extremity edema is a common physiological phenomenon that has little effect on fetal growth and maternal health. There are three main reasons:

1. The blood flow of the lower extremities is blocked: the enlarged uterus in the late pregnancy compresses the inferior vena cava, so that the blood flow in the lower body is blocked, the venous pressure is increased, and the lower extremity is swollen.

2, endocrine changes: increased secretion of estrogen and aldosterone after pregnancy, body water, sodium retention, causing edema.

3, blood dilution: increased blood volume during pregnancy, plasma protein did not increase, the blood was relatively diluted, plasma colloid osmotic pressure decreased, water moved to the interstitial space and edema.

4, pathological lower extremity edema mainly need to be alert to pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome.

an examination

Related inspection

Renal function test

In the third trimester of pregnancy, many pregnant women have edema of the calves, and partial depression can occur with the pressure of the fingers. This edema is usually obvious in the afternoon, and it subsides after bed rest and rest at night. If it is not accompanied by other symptoms, such as high blood pressure and proteinuria, it is a physiological phenomenon and does not require treatment. If the pregnant woman is not only edema, but also accompanied by high blood pressure and proteinuria, it is a pathological phenomenon and should be treated promptly.

Differential diagnosis

Differential diagnosis of pregnant women's calf edema:

Abnormal pregnancy legs and feet swollen:

The abnormal source of leg and foot swelling during pregnancy is hypertensive syndrome of pregnancy, because pregnancy-induced hypertension can lead to abnormalities in kidney and heart function in pregnant women.

1. The edema range is large, extending from the ankle and calf to the knee, even the vulva, abdomen, upper limbs, face, etc.;

2, the general bed rest after 6 to 8 hours does not fade;

3, accompanied by elevated blood pressure or hematuria.

After 8 hours of rest, the leg and foot swelling still do not fade, or the weight gain is more than 500 grams per week in the third trimester. It is necessary to be alert to the possibility of pregnancy-induced hypertension. It is necessary to go to the hospital for a comprehensive examination.

If the edema does not improve, and the weight increases rapidly, symptoms such as high blood pressure and proteinuria may be caused by pregnancy poisoning.

If the range of edema is limited to the knee, it can still be resolved after a night of sleep, without blood pressure or proteinuria.

It is obvious in the afternoon. Women who often stand up are more prominent.

The material in this site is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis, or recommended treatments.