Fainting During the Nine Months of Pregnancy: Advice.

The feeling of dizziness or faintness is part of the normal reactions of the mother's organism to the overwork it is subjected to

During pregnancy, blood volume increases to meet the needs of the fetus, the heart triples its work, blood pressure and blood sugar (glycaemia) levels tend to drop, leading to fainting.

The disorder occurs most often when standing for too long or when standing up suddenly after lying or sitting for a long time.

The resulting stagnation of blood in the legs determines, in fact, a slowing down of the venous return, that is, of the blood flow from bottom to top.

Treatment

When you feel faint, you should lie down immediately (preferably on the left side, to prevent the uterus from pressing on the inferior vena cava that conveys the blood returning from the lower part of the body to the heart) or, if it is not possible to lie down, sit with your head bent between your legs to help the blood flow back.

If the disorder is very frequent, the doctor will have to ascertain that it is not a true anemia, that is a disorder due to a reduced concentration of hemoglobin in the blood, to be treated with iron supplements and B vitamins, or a more serious problem.

What to do

To prevent the disorder just take a series of simple precautions, let's see some of the most effective:

 avoid standing too long, getting up abruptly after sitting or lying down for long periods or immediately after taking a hot bath (which tends to lower blood pressure);

 do not fast for too long and always carry a candy or sugar with you (it is used to restore the blood sugar level) or a licorice (it contains a substance that slightly raises the pressure);

 avoid places that are too crowded or hot and possibly look for a place to sit while, for example, waiting for the bus or queuing at a counter.