It is an unspeakable pain for every mother-to-be to gain weight during pregnancy; and what is even worse than gaining weight is edema during pregnancy, which not only makes you “fat” but also affects the health of both the mother-to-be and the baby. What is oedema during pregnancy? Pregnancy edema refers to the edema that occurs during pregnancy, which can be divided into two types: physiological and pathological. The majority of mothers-to-be will experience edema in the middle and late stages of pregnancy, and most of these are physiological edema, which will subside automatically after the birth of the baby. Physiological edema does not have a great impact on the mother-to-be’s health and the baby’s development, so there is no need for special treatment. However, there are a few mothers-to-be who have pathological edema, which will directly affect the development of the baby and the mother-to-be’s health, and must be promptly identified and treated, and if necessary, the pregnancy must be terminated. The initial manifestation of edema is abnormal weight gain (i.e. occult edema), with weight gain of more than 0.5kg per week, or the appearance of sunken edema, which usually starts from the ankle area and gradually extends to the calf, thigh, vulva and abdomen, with indentation when pressed. Edema is generally divided into four grades, indicated by “+”: “+” edema is limited to the ankle area and calf; “+++” edema extends to the thigh; ” +++” edema extending to the vulva and abdomen; “++++” generalized edema or with ascites. What should I do if I have edema during pregnancy? Choose relatively loose and comfortable clothes: the mother-to-be should try to avoid wearing tight clothes, which can easily lead to blood disorder and thus swelling of the body. In winter, you can wear bottoms with good elasticity and warmth, so you will be more comfortable whether you wear skirts or take coats. Elevate your legs properly: If you have slight edema, you can elevate your legs about 15 degrees before going to bed, or put pillows under your legs, which will help the edema to subside naturally. When you sit, don’t stilt your legs, and when you work, you can put a small bench under your feet to move your legs frequently. Change your daily habits and adjust your work and rest: Make sure you get enough sleep every day, and don’t get too stressed and tired. It is recommended to take a break after lunch and sleep for about 9 hours every night. When resting, it is recommended to lie on the left side, which helps the inferior vena cava blood return smoothly and is less likely to cause lower limb edema, and also helps reduce the pressure on the heart, but it is still possible to change the sleeping position when sleeping. Avoid prolonged sitting or standing: prolonged sitting or standing, the blood in the legs is not circulated, especially prone to edema. Pregnant mothers who have to work should avoid standing or sitting for long periods of time, and it is best to move around every half hour. In addition, the shoes worn by the mother-to-be should also be appropriate.? Adjust your diet appropriately: After pregnancy, the mother-to-be should pay attention to her diet. When edema occurs, try to eat lighter food and not overly salty food to prevent the edema from getting worse. Also, you can usually prepare some nutritious and healthy snacks, and eat less unhealthy junk food. Appropriate exercise: yoga, swimming (need professional teacher’s guidance), walking, etc. are good for improving edema; appropriate massage can also relieve edema. If the mother-to-be’s stomach is too big for massage, she can ask her husband to do it for her. Massage can be pressed from the bottom to the top to improve blood circulation. The force of massage should be properly controlled, mainly for comfort. Pathological edema, in addition to edema, is usually combined with other symptoms, such as high blood pressure, blurred vision, headache, proteinuria, etc. It must be discussed and treated with a physician, except for the possibility of hypertension or kidney disease during pregnancy, otherwise the health of the pregnant woman and the fetus will be endangered and treatment will be delayed.