Ob/Gyn
Midsouth Wellness Guide
Your Body in
Pregnancy
By Riad Homsi, M.D., FACOG
Just For Women
Pregnancy is a normal healthy state. A healthy
woman should find pregnancy reasonably
enjoyable. Throughout pregnancy, your body
goes through extensive readjustments and
experience some discomforts.
Backache: It is one of a pregnant woman’s
most common problems. It has many causes.
The strain from carrying 30 pounds of extra
weight on your back muscles is one cause.
The swayback posture you use to offset it is
another. Weakened muscles in your abdomen
(which support the spine) are another reason.
Back pain could also be a sign of kidney
infection or preterm labor. Some tips to help
lessen the back pain-Wear low-heeled shoes
with good arch support. Avoid lifting heavy
objects which put more strain on your back.
Get off your feet and rest frequently and sleep
on your side rather than on your back. Sit in
chairs with good back support and sleep on a
firm mattress. Exercise to stretch your aching
muscles, keep your back and abdominal
muscles strong, and promote good posture.
Buy an abdominal support garment that look
like a girdle to help take your belly weight
off your back muscles.Apply a heating pad,
warm-water bottle or cold compress to ease
the pain.
the nipple to find out since this may cause you Constipation and Gas: Relaxing effect
to start having contractions.
of the pregnancy hormones on the muscle
of the intestines may slow digestion. Iron
supplementation can add to the problem.
Congestion and Nosebleeds: During
Toward the end of the pregnancy, the growing
pregnancy, because of the increase in the
hormone levels, your body makes extra blood. weight of the uterus puts pressure on the
rectum, adding to the problem. Make sure you
This will cause the inside lining of your nose
to swell and bleed easily. This also may cause drink plenty of fluids including prune juice.
Eat high fiber diet like raw fruits, vegetables,
you to have a stuffy or runny nose.To deal
and whole grain bread and bran cereals.
Avoid spicy and greasy food. Don’t forget to
exercise.
Hemorroids: The extra blood supply in
the pelvic area along with the pressure the
growing uterus puts on the veins in the lower
part of the body, cause the swelling and
itching in the varicose veins in the rectal area.
Constipation can make these swollen veins
worse. Again, drink plenty of water, eat a high
fiber diet, and sit in warm sitz bath. There are
over the counter medicine that you can use to
help.
Heartburn and Indigestion: It refers
to a burning feeling in the throat and chest.
Pregnancy hormones, which relax the muscle
valve between your stomach and esophagus
(the tube leading from the mouth to the
stomach), are the main cause. This places
stomach acids where they don’t belong. As
your uterus grows, it adds to the problem by
pressing up against your stomach. To help
relieve or prevent indigestion and heartburn,
eat six small meals a day instead of three big
ones; eat slowly and chew your food well.
Don’t drink fluids with your meals but rather
drink your fluid between meals. Stay away
from greasy and fatty food. Try raising the
head of your bed and don’t eat or drink within
few hours of bedtime. You can also take
antacids.
Breast Changes: For many women,
tingling, tender, swollen breasts are the first
clue that they are pregnant. By 6 weeks of
pregnancy, your breast may grow a whole cup
size. Fat builds up in the breasts, making your
normal bra too tight. Blood flow increases,
causing a bluish web of veins to appear under
the skin. The nipples and the areolas darken
and grow larger. Small glands on the surface
of the areola become bumpy and raised. They
produce an oily substance to keep the nipple
and areola soft. Wearing a maternity bra may
help adjust to the growing size of the breasts.
By the end of the first trimester, your breasts
may start leaking to suggest that they are
getting ready. Don’t worry if your breasts
don’t leak though. Don’t start squeezing on
with this problem, try saline drops to relieve
congestion, use a humidifier to moisten the air
in the room, dab petroleum jelly around the
edges of the nose to keep the skin moist.
Headache: Headaches are common during
pregnancy. Pregnancy hormones are one
August 2007 Midsouth Wellness Guide
Midsouth Wellness Guide
cause. Stress and hunger also can be factors.
For some women, pregnancy headaches
are a minor bother. For others, very painful
headache (called migraine) can affect their
daily activity. Resting in a dark quiet room,
gently massaging your temples and placing
a cold washcloth on your forehead can
provide some relief. Call your doctor if the
headache does not go away, is very severe,
causes blurred vision or spots in front of your
eyes especially toward the last part of your
pregnancy.
you can do that might help you feel better.
Try to eat toast or crackers before you get
out of bed in the morning and try to get up
slowly and sit on the side of the bed for few
minutes. Drink fluids often during the day
and cold bubbly sweet drinks may help. Eat
five or six small meals during the day instead
of 3 regular big meals and try to eat food low
in fat and easy to digest. The BRATT diet
(bananas, rice, applesauce, toast and tea) may
help.Accupressure, ginger, motion sickness
bands, or hypnosis may also help relieving
symptoms.
Insomnia: After the first few months, you
may find it hard to sleep at night. As your
abdomen grows larger, it may be hard to
find a comfortable position. To get some rest
and sleep, you may need to take a shower or
warm bath at bedtime. Lie on your side with
a pillow under your abdomen and another
between your legs. It is also important to
try some relaxation tips your have learned
in childbirth classes. Be sure to get enough
exercise and cut out coffee and cokes from
your diet.
Leg Cramps: During late pregnancy,
painful leg cramps may be a bother at night.
It is not clear what causes leg cramps.
Stretching your legs before going to bed can
help relieve them. Also, avoid pointing your
toes when stretching or exercising.
Mouth and Tooth Changes: The
hormones in pregnancy can make your gums
swell and bleed. Keep up the brushing and
flossing, though. Switching to a softer brush
may help. You also may notice that your
mouth waters more during pregnancy. No one
knows why this occurs. Don’t cancel your
regular dental check up in pregnancy. Putting
off dental work can lead to further problems.
Nausea and Vomiting: Nausea
and Vomiting are common in pregnancy,
especially during the first part of pregnancy.
This is often called morning sickness,
although it can occur at any time of the
day. Although no one knows what causes
the nausea and vomiting, rising levels of
hormones during pregnancy may play a
role. It should lessen by about 14 weeks of
pregnancy. Most mild cases of nausea and
vomiting do not harm you or your baby’s
health. Morning sickness does not mean your
baby is sick. In most women, symptoms
are mild and go away. If your nausea and
vomiting are severe, you have a condition
called hyperemesis gravidarum, leading to
loss of weight and body fluids. In this setting,
you need medical attention. Until the nausea
and vomiting go away, there are some things
Numbness and Tingling: As your
uterus grows, it rests on some of the nerves
connecting your legs to your spinal cord.
This may cause chronic pain in the hip or
thigh (sciatica). Also, if you have swelling,
the nerves in your legs and hands get pressed
which cause your legs, toes hands and fingers
to tingle and feel numb.
Vaginal Discharge: Vaginal discharge
often increases during pregnancy. A sticky,
clear or white discharge is normal secondary
to increase vasculature in the vagina and
stimulation of vaginal and cervical glands.
Lower Abdominal Pain: As the uterus
grows, the round ligaments (bands of tissue
that supports the uterus on both sides) are
pulled and stretched. You may feel this
stretching as either a dull ache or a sharp
pain on one side of your belly. The pains are
most common between 18 and 24 weeks of
pregnancy. To prevent or relieve these pains,
avoid quick changes of position, rest and
change position frequently.
Fatigue: Most women feel very tired when
they are pregnant, mostly during early and
late pregnancy. Early in pregnancy, it is due
to the hormone progesterone that is increased
at that time. Late in pregnancy, it is due to
the increase weight that you carry, that puts a
Shortness of Breath: Early in pregnancy, lot of stress on your body. Exercise, prenatal
you may feel short of breath because of the
vitamins, rest and a healthy diet may help
increase of progesterone in your body. Later
boost your energy.
in pregnancy, your uterus is starting to take
up more and more room in your abdomen. By Frequent Urination: The amount of
about 31-34 weeks of pregnancy, the uterus
fluid in your body goes up when you are
is so large that it presses the stomach and the
pregnant. As a result, so does the amount of
diaphragm up toward the lung. Although you urine you make. As the uterus grows, it puts
may feel short of breath, this does not affect
pressure on the bladder. The bladder may
the amount of oxygen your baby gets. To help be nearly empty, but may still feel like it is
you breath easier, try to move slowly so your about to burst. In the last weeks of pregnancy,
heart and lungs don’t have to work so hard.
the fetus drops into your pelvis. When that
Sit up straight which gives your lungs more
happens, the baby’s head moves down and
room to expand, and try to sleep propped up.
puts more pressure on your bladder. The
Swelling: Some swelling (called edema)
in the hands, face, legs, ankles, and feet is
normal in pregnancy. It is caused by the extra
fluid in your body. It tends to be worse in late
pregnancy and during the summer. For relief,
put your feet up frequently and sleep with
your legs propped up on pillows keeping your
belly tilted to either side, especially to the
left. This keeps the fluid from pooling in the
bottom half of your body.
Varicose Veins: The weight of the uterus
pressing down on a major artery can slow
blood flow from your lower body. The result
may be sore, itchy, blue bulges on your legs
called varicose veins. These veins can also
appear near your vulva, vagina and rectum. In
most cases, varicose veins are not a problem.
To help relieve the swelling and soreness,
try to wear support hose, do exercise such
as walking and swimming, prop your legs
as often as you can and don’t stand or sit for
long periods.
August 2007 Midsouth Wellness Guide
weight of the uterus on your bladder may
even cause you to leak a little urine when you
sneeze or cough. Cut down on your coffee,
tea and sodas, but don’t cut back on water.
Drinking less water will not cut down on your
trips to the bathroom.
Skin and Hair Changes: Changes
in hormone levels can cause harmless skin
problems.
1-Acne: Some pregnant women find their
face breaks out more during pregnancy. Try to
wash your face a few times a day with a mild
cleanser.
2-Chloasma:”The mask of pregnancy” gives
some women brownish marks around their
eyes and on their nose and cheeks. This is
brought about by the pregnancy hormones.
Spending time in the sun can make chloasma
worse. These marks will fade away after
delivery. A good sunscreen is very important.
Midsouth Wellness Guide
3-Linea Nigra: Extra pigment in the skin causes the faint line
running from the belly button to the pubic hair to darken during
pregnancy. It will fade after delivery.
Just For Women
Riad Homsi, MD, F.A.C.O.G
Certified Menopause Practitioner
A physician just for women of all ages
4-Red Palms and Spider Veins: You may have red, itchy, palms
and tiny red veins branching out under the skin of your face
or legs due to increased blood flow and circulation to the skin.
Again, the redness will fade away after delivery.
5-Skin Tags: Your body is on a growth mode and this does not
increase the baby size only. You may find little flaps of skin
on your breasts, neck, or armpits. They will not go away after
delivery but can be removed by your doctor easily.
6-Stretch Marks: As your belly and breast grow, they may
become streaked with reddish lines. These marks happen when
skin stretches quickly to support the growing fetus. Don’t waste
any money on any miracle creams or lotions to prevent stretch
marks. There is little you can do to keep them away. After
delivery, these red streaks will slowly fade or become lighter.
7-Thicker Hair: Your body is in a growth cycle and so is your
hair. As result, you shed hair much more slowly than normal.
You may even grow new hairs where you never had them before
(i.e. the belly).After delivery, your hair will thin out and you
may notice the hair falling more frequently till it goes to its
normal cycle.
Anxiety: Pregnant women and their partners often have fears
Specializing in General Obstetrics &
Gynecology Services including:
• Pregnancy
• Family Planning
• Infertility
• Menopause
• Bladder Problems
• Bleeding Issues
• Abnormal Pap Smear
• Adolescent Gynecology
about pregnancy, labor and delivery, the effect a child will have
on their lives, and whether they will be good parents. Some
pregnant women have strange or scary dreams during their
pregnancy. This is normal.
About the Author
Riad Homsi, M.D., FACOG is a Board certified Obstetrician/
Gynecologist and Menopause Practitioner. He is the director of
the practice “Just For Women” located at 6025 Walnut Grove
,suite 400, Memphis, TN 38120. For more information, please
call (901) 50-STORK or visit www.justforwomendoc.com
6025 Walnut Grove, Suite 400
Memphis, TN 38120
901-50-STORK
www.justforwomendoc.com
August 2007 Midsouth Wellness Guide