Dizziness and Fainting During Pregnancy

Is it unusual passing out or feel dizzy while pregnant?

It’s not uncommon to feel lightheaded or lightheaded sometimes. When you’re pregnant, your cardiovascular system undergoes significant modifications. Your heart rate goes up, your heart pumps more blood per minute, and the quantity of blood in your body increases by 30 to 50 percent.

Main Causes of Dizziness and Passing Out During Pregnancy

What’s more, during a normal pregnancy, your blood vessels dilate and your blood pressure gradually reduces, reaching its floor in mid-pregnancy. It then begins to go back up, returning to its routine level by the end of pregnancy.

Most of the time, your cardiovascular and nervous systems have the ability to get used to these changes, and there’s appropriate blood circulation to your brain. But periodically they don’t adjust rapidly enough, which can leave you feeling lightheaded or woozy or cause you to faint.

What should I do if I feel lightheaded during my pregnancy?

The first thing to do is rest. Lying on your side maximizes blood circulation to your body and brain. It might keep you from fainting, and could eliminate lightheadedness completely.

If you’re in a place where you can’t lie down, then take a seat and try to put your head in between your knees. Naturally, you might no longer be able to do this when you’re really pregnant. But at least take a seat, so you don’t fall down. If you’re doing anything that may put you or others at risk for injury, such as owning, stopped and stop right away.

Standing too quickly: When you sit, blood pools in your feet and lower legs. If your body isn’t really able to adjust when you stand up, not enough blood go back to your heart from your legs. As an outcome, your high blood pressure drops rapidly, which can leave you feeling faint.

To prevent this, avoid emerging from your chair or bed. When you’re lying down, stay up gradually and remain seated for a couple of minutes with your legs hanging over the side of the bed or sofa. Then gradually increase from sitting to standing.

Your blood might also pool in your feet and legs when you stand in one location for a long time. If you’re in a scenario where you cannot move around, attempt shaking your legs to promote circulation.

Using support stockings can also help flow in the lower half of your body.

Resting on your back: In your 2nd and third trimesters, your growing uterus can slow the circulation in your legs by compressing the inferior vena cava (the big vein that returns blood from the lower half of the body to the heart) and the pelvic veins.

Lying flat on your back can make this problem even worse. In truth, about 8 percent of pregnant women in their second or third trimester establish a condition called supine hypotensive syndrome: When they rest on their back, their heart pumps less blood, their blood pressure drops, and they feel nervous, lightheaded, and nauseated till they shift their position.

To avoid this issue, lie on your side rather of flat on your back. A pillow placed behind you or under your hip can help you stay on your side– or at least slanted sufficient to keep your uterus from compressing the vena cava.

Vasovagal syncope: Some individuals get dizzy when they strain to cough, pee, or have a defecation. These actions can prompt their high blood pressure and heart rate to fall, leading to dizziness and fainting. (Vasovagal methods your vagus nerve is impacting your circulatory system; syncope implies fainting.) Dehydration, anxiety, and pain can also be triggers.

Pregnant women are more vulnerable to vasovagal syncope. Besides lightheadedness, it’s typically preceded by cautioning signs such as a feeling of heat, paleness, sweating, queasiness, yawning, and hyperventilation. Take notice of these symptoms and lie down right away to assist keep yourself from fainting.

Inadequate food and drink: When you don’t eat enough, you can end up with low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which can make you feel lightheaded or faint. This can happen far more quickly when you’re pregnant. Try to keep your blood sugar from getting too low by eating little, frequent meals during the day rather of three large ones. Bring healthy treats so you can eat when you get starving.

Dehydration can have a similar result. Ensure you stay well hydrated by drinking plenty of water. The Institute of Medicine advises that pregnant women drink about 10 8-ounce cups of water or other beverages every day. You may need a lot more if you’re exercising or if it’s hot. (If your urine is beginning to get yellow or cloudy, you’re not drinking enough.).

Anemia: If you’re anemic, you have less red blood cells to carry oxygen to your brain and other organs, which can leave you feeling lightheaded. Iron deficiency is the most common reason for anemia, so make certain to eat an iron-rich diet and take a prenatal vitamin with iron, especially in your 2nd and 3rd trimesters. If you’re anemic, your caregiver will probably prescribe a different iron supplement too.

Getting overheated: Spending time in a hot space or taking a hot bath or shower can cause your capillary to dilate, decreasing your blood pressure and making you feel woozy.

If you feel dizzy when you get too hot, avoid stuffy crowded locations and gown in layers so you can shed clothes as essential. Take warm showers or baths rather of hot ones (better to limit your time in a hot bath during pregnancy anyway), and attempt to keep the bathroom cool.

Hyperventilation: Excessive exercise or stress and anxiety can often cause you to hyperventilate and feel faint. Although workout can help your circulation, be careful not to overdo it. Start out slowly, and stop if you’re feeling tired or not well.

See our short article on managing stress and anxiety during pregnancy for guidance on reducing stress. If nothing seems to be helping, ask your healthcare provider to refer you to a therapist, who can assist you find out what you have to do to feel better.

When should I call my doctor or midwife about dizziness?

Feeling a bit lightheaded on occasion from things like heat, cravings, or getting up too quickly is normally not a cause for alarm, and this feeling will likely go away after you give birth. However, if the simple measures gone over above do not ease the issue or you have persistent lightheadedness, frequent bouts of dizziness, or any other concerns, don’t be reluctant to call your caretaker.

Also make sure to seek assistance if you in fact faint or if your dizziness could be the outcome of a current head injury. Other symptoms that need to trigger an instant call include severe headaches, blurred vision, impaired speech, palpitations, numbness, tingling, chest pain, shortness of breath, or vaginal bleeding. Any of these symptoms might be a sign of a major underlying problem that could impact you or your baby.

Early in pregnancy, if you have abdominal pain accompanied by dizziness and a racing pulse, it could be a sign of a burst ectopic pregnancy. This is a medical emergency, so call 911.

Question and Answers about Passing Out During Pregnancy

Question: Any idea what could of caused a blackout during pregnancy?

I had the unexpected feeling as if i were going to blackout/pass out. I quickly put down and put a cool washcloth on my face. The feeling lasted about a half hour or so. Any concepts as to what could of triggered this?


I’m 24 weeks today, and the very same thing occurred to me the other day. Regrettably, my episode was quite severe. I was on my to a conference, and I blacked out on a two lane road without any shoulder. I ran into a stone pillar, trashed my car, was required to the ER via ambulance (the baby and I are doing fine), and got home late afternoon. I had a granola cereal for breakfast. My idea is that I had a sugar crash while owning. When I remained in the ER, my high blood pressure dropped to 80 over 62, really low. As soon as I had an IV, I felt better. I believe the combination of the sugar crash and the low blood pressure triggered the black out.

This took place to me at target last night. Really frightening. Passed out however luckily my person had the ability to keep me standing somewhat. Blacked out about 5 seconds, was available in and out of it few times. Begun gagging regarding vomit but thankfully didn’t. We went to healthcare facility and my MD said I am significantly anemic and has me on iron. I was on it but wasn’t corresponding. Big mistake! However doing better today. A couple of woozy times however my man has actually been viewing me like a hawk, helping me shower, gown, feeding me iron rich foods and making me rest throughout the day. I am at 25 weeks. Im going to aim to relax for rest of pregnancy. Baby health most important thing,

Last modified: February 8, 2017


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