Swollen feet in late pregnancy may be related to increased blood volume, low relative concentration of plasma albumin, and obstruction of venous return in the lower limbs, etc. Swelling can be reduced by lying on the left side, elevating the feet before bedtime, and taking adequate rest. The speed of symptom relief varies from person to person.
1. Increase in blood volume: After pregnancy, the blood volume of a pregnant woman gradually increases from 6 weeks, reaches a peak at 34 weeks, and maintains at this level until two weeks postpartum to return to the pre-pregnancy level. When the blood volume of pregnant women increases, the intertissue fluid will increase, resulting in swollen feet in late pregnancy. Patients can sleep on the left side of the bed, which can reduce the uterus on the inferior vena cava compression, thereby reducing swelling.
2. The relative concentration of plasma albumin is low: plasma albumin is the component that maintains plasma osmotic pressure. The low relative concentration of plasma albumin during pregnancy leads to a decrease in plasma osmotic pressure, which makes it easy for water in the blood stream to penetrate into the intertissue fluid, thus causing swollen feet in late pregnancy. Patients elevate their feet before going to bed, this way can make the lower extremity blood return, thus relieving swollen feet in late pregnancy.
3. Lower extremity venous return obstruction: in late pregnancy, due to the uterus will increase the lower vena cava pressure, resulting in lower extremity venous blood reflux is not good, thus causing edema in late pregnancy. Patients with swollen feet in late pregnancy should take sufficient rest and avoid keeping standing or sitting position for a long time, which can relieve the symptoms of swollen feet.
Patients should consume less salt food, too much salt intake will aggravate the exudation of body fluids and aggravate edema. When swollen feet in late pregnancy need to reduce swelling, patients are advised to go to the hospital for treatment and reduce swelling under the guidance of doctors to avoid adverse effects.