Understanding Dizziness During Pregnancy: Causes & Relief

Question
Hi Brenda
          I'm 9wks pregnant with my first child and I'm on my second pregnancy. I'm suffering quite badly with tiredness & sickness. I battle through ther best I can and take a pre-natal supplement.

Just recently I have suffered from dizzy spells, but a couple of them have been quite severe. The first was when I was sat at home in the evening. I came over feeling very unwell so I got up to go to bed, only to find that I almost fell over. I felt very dizzy, rather like being drunk. I had diarrea that night and was sick. The next day I still felt woosy and unsteady.
The second was Thursday when I was at work. Again I had an upset stomach and was sick. Around lunchtime I was sat down, I felt very faint and had the same 'drunk' feeling. This took about 3 to 4 hours for the worst to wear off & again the next day I was woozy.

I'm sure to eat when I can & not to get up too fast, I understand that dizziness & fainting is common in pregnancy but I get the spells so severely I feel that somethings not right.
They really are awful.

Can you shed any light please?

Thanks
Sarah

Answer
Dear Sarah,

The main cause of dizziness in pregnancy is due to the rising hormones that cause your blood vessels to relax and widen. This helps increase the blood flow to your baby, but it slows the return of the blood in the veins to you. This causes your blood pressure to be lower than usual, which can reduce the blood flow to your brain, temporarily causing dizziness.

Dizziness is also caused by low blood sugar levels that may occur as your body adapts to changes in your metabolism. Women who are anemic or who have varicose veins may be more susceptible to dizziness than others. During the second trimester, dizziness may be caused because your growing uterus puts pressure on blood vessels. Dizziness may also occur later in your pregnancy if you lie on your back, allowing the weight of the baby to press on your vena cava (a large vein that carries blood from your lower body to your heart). However, dizziness is most prevalent in the first trimester.

It sounds like you are already attempting to lessen the effects of the dizziness, but I will reiterate some suggestions to minimize dizziness as much as possible.
1. Avoid standing for long periods. If you must stand, make sure that you keep your feet moving to help increase circulation
2. Get up slowly from either sitting or lying down (This is very important when you are getting out of the bath)
3. Eat regularly. Avoid long periods between meals; it is better to snack throughout the day
4. Avoid hot baths or showers
5. Avoid lying on your back once you reach the middle of your second trimester
6. Wear loose, comfortable clothing to avoid restricting circulation
7. Take prenatal vitamins and eat foods rich in iron to avoid anemia-related dizziness.

The only time we get real concerned about dizziness or feeling faint during pregnancy is when it is accompanied by vaginal bleeding and/or pain in your abdomen (possibly indicating an ectopic pregnancy, a low-lying placenta, or placental abruption) or by blurred vision, headaches, or heart palpitations (possibly indicating severe anemia or some other illness).

I hope this has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well.

Brenda