Drowsiness in early and late pregnancy

Pregnancy is a wonderful time, but sometimes it is marred by minor troubles that significantly complicate life and bring discomfort. One of these phenomena is drowsiness during pregnancy. This is a condition in which a woman cannot wake up in the morning, and when she wakes up, she feels broken, depressed, and completely sleep-deprived.

At first glance, these are trifles. But along with this, concentration of attention is significantly reduced, and inhibition appears. You want to sleep all the time, sometimes you get the feeling that you are about to “switch off”, “fall out of reality”. It is very difficult to cope with such a state, it happens, as if against your will, uncontrollably.

It is very difficult for working women at this time. In the early stages, you can still fight this condition with another cup of coffee or strong tea. But in the later stages, when coffee is no longer allowed, it is really hard. Sleep becomes the main goal, and the main desire. Waking up in the morning, you think about when there will be time to go to bed again. But the problem is that even if you sleep during the day, this condition not only does not go away, but only gets worse, and even a headache, heaviness in the heart area, shortness of breath appear. There is only one thing left - to pull yourself together, and consciously not give in to drowsiness. Or sleep on schedule. In fact, no matter how hard it is, there are ways to cope with this condition. But first things first.

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Epidemiology

According to statistics, during pregnancy, every second woman experiences increased sleepiness. In 63% of cases, this occurs against the background of a decrease in blood pressure. In 2% of people, the temperature decreases, in 50%, the pulse slows down. All this is a consequence of the adaptation processes occurring in the body.

About 54% of women associate this condition with the abolition of coffee, strong tea. Also, 15% of cases believe that this condition occurs due to a lack of sweets, sugar, as many note an excessive desire to eat sweets. About 15% note that this condition can be associated with a lack of oxygen, insufficient time spent in the fresh air, and about 19% believe that drowsiness is caused by insufficient physical activity.

It is also interesting that about 89% of women notice that the more time you sleep, the more you want to sleep, and the more sleepy you are. All these women agree that you need to fight sleepiness. You need to find another way out, because giving in to sleepiness only worsens the condition. The remaining 10% say that you need to sleep as much as you want, the more the better, and 2% find it difficult to answer.

As obstetric practice shows, all 100% of women who struggled with drowsiness and led an active lifestyle, overcame this condition after a few months, and their births were natural, much more successful than those of women who slept a lot and led a passive lifestyle. They had low contractile activity of the uterus, weak labor.

Approximately 67% required additional medical stimulation, and among such women, cases where a cesarean section was required predominate. Children of women who led an active lifestyle are more viable, approximately 6-8 points on the Apgar scale. Whereas women who succumbed to sleepiness had children with indicators from 3 to 7 points on the Apgar scale.

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Causes pregnancy drowsiness

The reason for drowsiness is that during pregnancy the body experiences stress and is in the adaptation stage. It functions not only for itself, but for two organisms. There is a restructuring of organs and systems, first of all, the circulatory system changes. If earlier most of the blood went to provide nutrients to the lungs, brain, now the emphasis has shifted, and the reproductive organs, pelvic organs, and fetal masses have acquired primary importance. There is a restructuring of the skeletal and muscular system, the placenta appears, which also requires nutrients, oxygen. By-products of metabolism have appeared, which must be eliminated from the body. And these products become more, since not one organism functions, but two.

Also during this period, a woman's immunity decreases, since fertilization and implantation of the egg into the uterine mucosa is impossible if the woman's immunity is at a high level. This is due to the fact that the fertilized egg and the fetus itself are considered foreign to the body, and if the immune system were not weakened, it would direct all its forces to destroy the foreign agent.

Another reason why drowsiness may develop is hormonal changes in the body. New hormones appear (progesterone is the pregnancy hormone), the ratio of hormones also changes, the amount of estrogens decreases. All this can also lead to a change in the usual state, drowsiness. The nervous system is inhibited, the receptors become less sensitive, inhibition develops in the brain (the so-called gestation of pregnancy develops), which reduces the woman's activity, balances and harmonizes it, providing protection from excessive physical and mental stress.

Also, the reason for drowsiness is a banal lack of oxygen and nutrients, since their main share is spent on ensuring the life of the fetus. Sometimes these are psychological reasons, but this is often observed in unwanted pregnancy, or a woman's subconscious fear of the upcoming birth, the birth of a baby.

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Risk factors

People with reduced physical activity and oxygen deficiency are at risk. This is often observed in winter, when it is dark and cold outside, and the weather is conducive to drowsiness and rest. Women with anemia, oxygen deficiency, congenital hypoxia, overly nervous, overexcited by nature are also at risk. Women with insufficient nutrition, low protein and vitamin content in food are at risk.

Women with a short interval between two pregnancies and low body weight are at risk. If before pregnancy there was a tendency to hypotension, arrhythmia, decreased vitality, headaches. Drowsiness may affect women who are not working, lead a passive lifestyle, and are subject to frequent apathy and depression. This condition often occurs in vegetarians, women who have abused diets, and also in those who are used to drinking coffee regularly (especially in case of its cancellation).

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Pathogenesis

The pathogenesis is primarily based on the adaptation of the circulatory system to new conditions, which require blood and oxygen supply not only to the woman's body, but also to the fetus's body. This is accompanied by a lack of oxygen, disruption of the processes of removing toxins and metabolites from the outside. It is worth noting that all this occurs against the background of a decrease in the body's defenses, a decrease in immune defense mechanisms, and hormonal changes.

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Symptoms pregnancy drowsiness

The state of sleepiness is hard to miss. You feel lethargic, want to sleep, to get enough sleep. It seems that you just didn’t get enough sleep today. You feel lazy, or simply can’t wake up in the morning. You seem to fall asleep. Everything around you starts to irritate you, you don’t want to do anything. There is only one desire – to drop everything and go to bed. Then you decide to sleep an hour more in the morning, then another hour. And so, you don’t notice how you sleep more and more, if no one and nothing wakes you up. However, when you wake up, you won’t feel cheerful and light, well-rested. The condition will only get worse: heavy, like cotton wool legs and arms, swollen face, clumsy body. Heavy eyelids keep closing, it seems that you are about to fall asleep again.

Sometimes there are moments when you seem to fall into nowhere. It seems like you were just sitting, doing your business, working, or reading a book, and suddenly you realize that at that time you were simply absent. Either sleeping, or lost in thought. But you don’t even remember what you just read or wrote. It also often seems like you feel pretty good, but then you shudder, as if you woke up. This feeling happens in a dream, when you are just starting to fall asleep.

If you feel that in the morning you want to sleep, your eyes are tired, your eyelids are heavy, they close - this may be the first sign that you are developing pathological sleepiness. If your attention has significantly decreased, you have become very lazy - you should also pay attention to this.

Drowsiness during early pregnancy

Fertilization occurs, the egg moves through the fallopian tubes, enters the uterine cavity, attaches and implants to the walls. All this requires energy. The main blood, nutrients, oxygen are aimed at ensuring these processes.

Then the processes associated with the division of the egg cell occur. A zygote and blastula are formed. These elements grow very quickly, develop, and differentiate. It is in the early stages that the main organs are laid down, systems are formed, and they differentiate by function. All this requires oxygen and nutrients. Concentration occurs precisely on these processes, as a result of which the woman's brain lacks oxygen and nutrients. This entails the predominance of inhibition processes over excitation processes in the brain, as a result of which a drowsy state occurs. Hormones also play a role in this, the action of which is aimed at ensuring inhibition processes.

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Drowsiness during late pregnancy

At later stages, intensive growth and development of the fetus occurs. The growing organism requires a large amount of nutrients and oxygen. Due to intensive metabolic processes and changes in blood circulation, a sharp change occurs primarily in the woman's circulatory system. Blood pressure drops sharply, hypotension develops, which can cause a slow reaction and drowsiness.

Also, the hormone progesterone begins to be produced, the side effect of which is also drowsiness. The hormonal system adapts, the ratio, concentration of hormones changes dramatically. This can be stressful for the body, adaptation occurs, which is also accompanied by drowsiness.

It is worth noting that quite often there is a synthesis of certain tissue mediators, enzymes, such as histamine, which cause drowsiness in the body. At this stage, edema often develops, as the load on the body increases, the sensitization of the body increases. This can also be accompanied by drowsiness.

Weakness, fatigue, lethargy and drowsiness during pregnancy

All this can accompany normal adaptation processes in the body, in which the body adapts to new operating conditions, reorganizes its activities to ensure the life and development of not only the woman’s body, but also the fetus.

But sometimes it can also be a sign of pathological processes: for example, a violation of the biochemical cycle. Metabolic processes, a violation of the synthesis and metabolism of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, excess glucose, a lack of vitamins and minerals, a violation of blood circulation and heart activity, too low blood pressure, increased sensitivity and sensitization of the body, excessive production of histamine, stress on the kidneys, edema, and other pathologies. It is imperative to consult a doctor about this.

Constant drowsiness during pregnancy

It is almost impossible to avoid drowsiness, since it is a natural reaction to changes occurring in the body. But how quickly the body can adapt largely depends on the woman: her behavior, lifestyle, and even thinking. Drowsiness can be fought, and many women successfully overcome this condition.

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Severe drowsiness during pregnancy

First, you need to consult a doctor to know for sure whether the body is adapting with difficulty or whether it is a consequence of some pathological processes. If it is a pathology, you may need treatment, after which you will feel better. But if it is a consequence of adaptation processes, you will have to work hard to overcome the state of drowsiness.

When does drowsiness during pregnancy go away?

It may pass within a few weeks, months, or it may not pass at all. Most women report drowsiness in the first trimester, by the end of which the condition normalizes. But if you give in to your drowsy state too much, you can start it, and then it can last quite a long time, and sometimes even the entire pregnancy.

Complications and consequences

There is a decrease in activity, a decrease in muscle tone, the processes of inhibition in the brain begin to prevail over excitation. This manifests itself in the form of a decrease in the mechanisms of thinking, memory, and attention deficit. The ability to build logical-intuitive chains is also impaired. Muscle tone, activity, and strength decrease. The same applies to uterine tone. If it is too low, a miscarriage or premature birth may occur. This also has a negative effect directly during labor: decreased muscle tone, insufficient activity and contractility of the uterus, protracted and problematic labor, which often requires drug support, assistance, and surgical intervention.

It is also worth noting that children are often born weakened, experience hypoxia, develop hypoxic brain damage, or have post-hypoxic disorders. Often there are disorders of the nervous system, decreased sensitivity, and weak reflexes of the newborn, a weak sucking reflex. The immune system of such children is impaired.

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Diagnostics pregnancy drowsiness

To determine the condition, it is necessary to establish whether drowsiness is a sign of pathological processes occurring in the body, or is a consequence of the body's adaptation to new operating conditions. To do this, it is imperative to inform your doctor, and also determine how often, at what time you experience drowsiness, under what circumstances it increases, under what conditions it decreases. It is worth telling the doctor about your usual daily routine, about your feelings, concomitant pathologies. All this can have an important diagnostic value, even seemingly insignificant details.

After collecting the information, the doctor conducts a standard examination, weighs, measures the pulse, blood pressure, body temperature, abdominal size, listens to the baby's heartbeat. Then a general examination can be carried out to identify pathologies: classical research methods are used, such as palpation, percussion, auscultation. During palpation, the doctor feels possible lesions, assesses the degree of hyperemia, tissue swelling, local temperature. It is very important to assess the degree of swelling: swelling of the legs, arms, swelling of the face. During auscultation, the doctor listens to breathing, heartbeat. Percussion can also reveal multiple lesions, for example, foci of inflammation, swelling, compaction. It is important to tap the kidney area well, since swelling may occur, including internal swelling, which can cause drowsiness. The kidneys suffer first during pregnancy, since the load on them increases sharply.

If necessary, laboratory and instrumental research methods may be prescribed, which depend on whether any pathology is detected.

Tests

Most often, clinical tests are prescribed: blood, urine, feces. They allow you to assess the general direction of the processes occurring in the body. When analyzing urine, first of all, pay attention to the presence of protein or sugar in the urine, which is a negative sign and may indicate the development of disorders in the normal functioning of the kidneys.

Important diagnostic markers can also be detected in a clinical blood test. They can directly or indirectly indicate an inflammatory, infectious, or allergic process. It is also possible to roughly assume in which organ system the main pathological process occurs, and what its severity is.

For example, with excessive intoxication and increased sensitization of the body, a blood test shows a high content of eosinophils and an increased level of histamine, an allergic process can be assumed. To clarify the data, allergy tests are prescribed, an analysis of the content of total and specific immunoglobulin E, and the level of histamine. A detailed immunogram may be required, which will display the current state of the immune system.

A biochemical blood test is also mandatory, which can be used to judge the presence of metabolic disorders in the body, among other things. For example, a biochemical test can show a violation of carbohydrate metabolism, protein deficiency, excess or deficiency of adipose tissue.

If an infectious disease is suspected, virological studies are prescribed, as well as bacteriological culture, which will allow differentiating a viral disease from a bacterial or fungal one. Blood is also examined using microscopy, bacteriological culture, serological or virological studies. In case of a disease of unclear etiology, it is advisable to conduct a study on latent infections, parasitic diseases.

Hormonal analysis may also be prescribed if necessary. There are many types of hormone analysis, depending on which gland is suspected of being affected. For example, if there is an excessive amount of glucose in the blood, there may be a need to examine the function of the pancreas and adrenal glands, and, accordingly, an analysis of the hormones synthesized by these glands is prescribed. If there is a suspicion of a disorder in the thyroid gland, an analysis of TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), tyrosine is taken. A disorder of the structural or functional state of the thyroid gland may result in drowsiness.

Tests for hormones of the pineal gland and pituitary gland may be required, since dysfunction of these organs entails a failure of the entire endocrine system, dysfunction of all organs and systems. These glands also have a significant impact on the regulation of biorhythms in the body, including the regulation of the "sleep-wake" cycle, as a result of which the ratio of these cycles is disrupted towards an increase in the need for sleep.

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Instrumental diagnostics

Instrumental diagnostics are prescribed after a preliminary examination and questioning of the patient, when the doctor already has a presumptive diagnosis or a presumptive cause of the pathology. The main method of examination during pregnancy is ultrasound, since it is the safest method that allows you to examine the anatomical and functional features of the woman's body, and makes it possible to identify the features of fetal development: its structural, functional features, possible defects, deviations, genetic anomalies. In addition, this method is non-invasive and extremely safe. External ultrasound (through the abdominal wall) and transvaginal ultrasound, which is performed using a special transvaginal sensor, can be performed.

Another method of research is Dopplerography, which allows to evaluate the features of blood flow. To evaluate the formation of the circulatory and cardiovascular systems of the fetus, filling of the vessels with blood.

Instrumental methods are also used if there is a suspicion of pathology of any other organs. Thus, if a gastrointestinal disease is suspected, gastroscopy, radiography, ultrasound, and colonoscopy may be required. If respiratory diseases are suspected, a thorough examination is carried out using spirograms, radiographs, and functional tests are used. In case of diseases of the heart and circulatory system, an electrocardiogram, ultrasound of the heart, and other examinations may be required.

X-ray examination methods are used as a last resort, since there is a high risk of irradiating the fetus, which has a negative impact on its development. It is used if there is no alternative. Although this happens extremely rarely. If it is impossible to avoid X-rays, they are performed using special protective aprons that protect the abdomen. They help minimize radiation. The same applies to computer and magnetic resonance imaging: they allow you to assess the condition of the skeletal system and soft tissues, identify possible pathologies at the earliest stages of their formation. But these procedures are associated with risks for the mother and child.

Differential diagnosis

First of all, it is necessary to determine what caused drowsiness and what it is: is it a pathological phenomenon or an adaptation process? Then, depending on this, appropriate measures are taken.

If drowsiness is a consequence of the development of a pathological process, then it is necessary to further differentiate between diseases that can cause such changes. Here, instrumental methods are mainly used; consultations with other specialists may be required. It is also necessary to determine the exact cause of drowsiness. Dynamic observation and patient questioning can help with this. Brain activity diagnostics may be required, for example, an encephalogram, somnography.

Treatment pregnancy drowsiness

Read here about how to combat drowsiness during pregnancy.

Prevention

Prevention is based primarily on timely diagnostics. It is important to identify pathology, if any, at an early stage of its formation and take the necessary measures. This will prevent the progression of the disease. If there is no pathology, and the adaptation processes are too difficult, help is also needed (for example, a special adaptation program, treatment regimen).

It is necessary to avoid excessive exposure to sunlight, use less cosmetics, follow a daily routine and diet. Massage is a good preventative measure. It is necessary to do physical exercises and eat right. Clothes should be natural, should not irritate the skin and cause excessive compression and squeezing of the skin. It is necessary to consume a sufficient amount of vitamins.

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Forecast

If the cause is identified in time and the necessary treatment is carried out, the prognosis will be favorable. Drowsiness during pregnancy is a problem that can be successfully combated, and its solution depends entirely on the lifestyle and behavior of the woman.

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