Physical Changes of Pregnancy
During pregnancy, a woman’s body will go through many changes physically. Most of these physical changes of pregnancy will go away after you have delivered your baby.
A woman who is pregnant will notice an increase in their heart rate. This is due to the changes that are going on inside your uterus. The blood supply going to the uterus will increase as the fetus grows, causing your heart to pump faster. It may slow down after the towards the end of your pregnancy because of the pressure of the baby inside of your uterus pushing on veins that carry blood to the heart.
Your breathing patterns will change as well. This is normal as you are now breathing for two. You may be breathing faster, but you will be taking deeper breaths and they will allow more oxygen to pass into your lungs and bloodstream.
Kidneys are forced to work harder during pregnancy due to the increased amount of blood they will be filtering. This is why you will feel the need to use the restroom more frequently while you are pregnant.
You may become constipated from the pressure of your growing uterus on your bowels. This will all clear up as soon as you deliver your baby. Your bowel movements will return to normal quickly.
Heartburn or indigestion are very common because while you are pregnant, food will stay in your stomach for a longer period of time and becomes backed up causing a burning sensation in your throat.
Some women have reported having blotchy skin on their face while pregnant. Melasma, or the mask of pregnancy will show up as blotchy brown spots on the foreheads and cheeks of pregnant women.
Due to the placenta producing hormones used to sustain pregnancy, you may experience mood swings while pregnant. Yes it’s a real physical change in the woman’s body that causes it.
And the last of the physical changes a woman’s body goes through is the obvious, a swollen belly, and possibly stretch marks to go along with it. Using a good lotion daily will help you from getting stretch marks that scar.
Filed under: Labor & Birth
