The heartbeat of the expectant mother is a very important clinical indicator. It is assessed already in the very early stages of pregnancy. If its indicators deviate from the norm, a mandatory correction of violations is required.
About heartbeat in pregnant women
Heart rate or pulse is a very important clinical sign. During pregnancy, this indicator is determined both in the expectant mother and the baby.
In a child, the heartbeat can be determined in the very first weeks of his intrauterine development. You can count the number of heartbeats in the fetus during an ultrasound examination, and at a later date - during a clinical examination by a doctor.
It is important to note that normal pulse rates during pregnancy are somewhat different.
This is due to many factors. The main reason is the changing hormonal background... During pregnancy, the female body produces quite a few different hormones. They affect the work of the heart, which leads to a change in the rate of the heartbeat.
Doctors determine the heart rate together with the definition of blood pressure. There is always a strong relationship between these clinical parameters.
In most cases, pulse changes are often accompanied by surges in blood pressure. For a comprehensive assessment of women's health, doctors assess both of these indicators.
In many expectant mothers, in the early stages of bearing a baby, the pulse becomes somewhat faster. As a rule, a rapid heartbeat will return to normal by the end of the third trimester of pregnancy. If this does not happen, mandatory consultation with a cardiologist is required.
According to statistics, expectant mothers after 25-30 years of age during pregnancy noticeably increase the heart rate. A low heart rate is more common in women who conceive a baby before the age of 20. An exception is the presence of congenital heart diseases, which can lead to the development of arrhythmias.
Overweight is another reason that can lead to the fact that a woman's heart rate increases during pregnancy. The increasing size of the uterus leads to the fact that from the end of the second trimester, it begins to exert strong pressure on the diaphragm. This situation contributes to the work of the heart in an intensive and often changed mode.
A significant decrease in hemoglobin or erythrocytes in the blood provokes the development of anemia in the expectant mother. This pathological condition also quite often leads to the development of tachycardia in a woman. In this case, you can normalize the heartbeat with the help of drugs, normalizing indicators of hemoglobin in the blood. Quite often, in this case, doctors prescribe iron-containing medications.
The physiological characteristics of a baby developing in a woman's tummy can also lead to an increase in the mother's heart rate. According to statistics, tachycardia (high pulse) occurs in a woman carrying a large baby.
Multiple pregnancies are another risk factor for developing heart palpitations during pregnancy.
Psychoemotional stress also has a significant impact on the work of the cardiovascular system. If the expectant mother is constantly worried or nervous about trifles, then this may contribute to the fact that she will have problems with a rapid heart rate. During pregnancy, you should limit stress as much as possible and allow only positive emotions into your life.
If during pregnancy the expectant mother becomes ill with any infection, this leads not only to an increase in her body temperature and the appearance of symptoms of intoxication, but also to a rapid heartbeat. Thus, the body tries to get rid of viral or bacterial toxins. After recovery, the heart rate will return to normal.
Bad habits also contribute to the fact that a woman's heart rate increases significantly. Smoking or drinking alcohol leads to serious attacks of tachycardia dangerous for a woman. Also, the use of coffee and strong tea contributes to an increase in heart rate.
The heart rate depends on many factors. For example, if the expectant mother before conceiving the baby was professionally or actively involved in sports, then her pulse will be somewhat lowered. This is due to the good fitness of the heart muscle (myocardium). Usually, these women have a significantly reduced risk of developing tachycardia.
An excessively decreased heart rate or bradycardia can also occur in a woman due to various infectious heart diseases. Pathologies in which potassium and magnesium are low in the blood can also lead to a significant slowdown in the heart rate.
Also, the development of this condition is caused by long-term use of drugs with hypotensive effects. If for some reason the expectant mother is forced to take diuretics (diuretics), then the risk of a decrease in heart rate increases significantly.
The development of bradycardia is also caused not only by diseases of the heart, but also by pathologies of the kidneys, liver and other biological systems. In this case mandatory additional diagnostics is required to clarify the causal factor of the violations. In such a situation, a woman should visit her therapist.
Standards
Most mothers have a pulse rate of 85-90 beats per minute during pregnancy. In the first trimester, it practically does not differ from normal indicators before conception.
If a woman's heart rate at this time exceeds 120 beats per minute, this may indicate the development of any pathology. In this case, a mandatory consultation with a doctor is required.
During the second trimester of pregnancy, the heart rate increases by 10-15 beats per minute. In most cases, the heart rate of expectant mothers is 100-105 beats per minute during this period.
The end of pregnancy is very important. For many expectant mothers, the pulse at this time rises to 115-120 beats per minute. There is no significant change in heart rate by weeks of pregnancy during this period. Usually, the pulse will return to normal by the ninth month of gestation.
For the convenience of identifying pathologies, doctors use tables that indicate normal heart rate values at different periods of pregnancy. Each expectant mother should have this indicator within her age norm.
Decrease or increase in heart rate requires the compulsory preparation of medical recommendations.
Symptoms
A rapid heartbeat leads to the fact that the expectant mother begins to develop unfavorable clinical signs. If this condition develops suddenly and is too pronounced, then this can lead to a significant deterioration in the woman's well-being.
A future mother suffering from tachycardia often complains of severe dizziness. This symptom often manifests itself when changing body position. If a woman suddenly gets out of bed, then “flies” begin to flash before her eyes, or she begins to see white circles before her eyes.
Headache is another symptom that begins to bother the expectant mother suffering from tachycardia. Its severity can be different. Usually the headache worries the expectant mother constantly. In the evening, this symptom may worsen.
Some women are starting to feel "Stuffiness" in the chest. Often this symptom manifests itself in the middle or in the left half of the chest. Many women note that it becomes difficult for them to engage in even the usual physical activity. An attack of rapid heartbeat may appear in them even after cleaning the apartment or after climbing the stairs.
Increased chilliness of the skin can also be the result of a violation of the blood supply. The rapid pulse contributes to the fact that full blood saturation of the internal organs does not occur.
The skin becomes pale. With severe tachycardia, when the pulse rises above 150 beats per minute, the woman's nasolabial triangle and mucous membranes of the lips turn blue.
How to check it yourself?
Determining your heart rate at home is quite simple. It is best to define it at the points where the arterial pulsation is most pronounced. One of these areas is the area of the lower third of the forearm, near the fold of the palm.
The heart rate is counted in one minute. If a woman does not have arrhythmia or heart rhythm disturbances, then in such a situation, the pulse can be read in 30 seconds. The number of contractions is multiplied by 2. In the presence of any pathologies of the cardiovascular system, accompanied by the development of arrhythmias, the pulse should be counted in a minute.
During heart rate determination, the number of "jerks" is counted. In order to identify them, the radial artery is pressed against the bone with the finger of the other hand. It is quite easy to determine the pulse yourself at home.
You can also determine the heartbeat using special devices. Every modern tonometer has a pulse detection function.
Even in healthy women, the number of heartbeats can be different on the right and left hands. If these indicators differ by more than 20%, then in this case you should definitely consult your doctor.
What to do in case of changes?
If adverse symptoms appear, the expectant mother should immediately seek the advice of a doctor. The therapist controls the heartbeat during the entire period of pregnancy in the expectant mother.
If necessary, the doctor can send the expectant mother for additional research. These include ECG and echocardiography.
After establishing the diagnosis for the expectant mother, the doctor makes a whole set of recommendations. They necessarily include adherence to the correct daily routine. It is possible to normalize the work of the cardiovascular system only with the exclusion of any psycho-emotional stress.
Adequate sleep is very important for optimal functioning of the nervous and cardiovascular systems. To do this, doctors recommend that the expectant mother sleep at least 8-9 hours a day. If a woman has difficulty falling asleep, then before going to bed, she should ventilate the room.
Regular walks in the fresh air are a very important condition for tachycardia therapy. The walking rhythm should be moderate. Pregnant women who have heart palpitations should avoid running. The duration of the walk should be at least 40 minutes daily.
Often, the emerging imbalance of vitamins and minerals leads to the appearance of tachycardia in the female body during pregnancy.
In order to normalize this condition, the doctor recommends the expectant mother to use multivitamin complexes. As a rule, such drugs are used during all periods of pregnancy.
Excessive physical activity should also be excluded. Choose a workout that keeps your heart rate within normal limits. These primarily include regular walks in the fresh air or yoga classes. You can also attend special breathing courses that are organized for expectant mothers.
During pregnancy, the expectant mother should regularly visit a therapist. Such attendances should not be missed... During the consultation, the doctor necessarily determines the pulse and blood pressure of the expectant mother. In this case, the specialist can quite successfully identify any emerging pathologies.
To normalize your heart rate, you should exclude coffee from your daily menu. It is better for expectant mothers with tachycardia to use herbal teas or herbal teas. Also fruit drinks or compotes made from various berries are suitable as drinks.
When a woman has an attack of tachycardia it is very important to be calm... It is better that at this moment one of her close relatives is with the expectant mother.
The next important condition is to improve the oxygen supply to the room. To do this, it is worth opening the windows, and in winter - a window in the room where the expectant mother is.
The woman should lie on a bed or sofa. In this position, the risk of developing severe dizziness is somewhat reduced. In this case, it is better not to make sudden movements.
After that, be sure to measure your pulse. If its values exceed 120 beats per minute or more, and the woman's health has deteriorated greatly, it is imperative to call an ambulance. You can take medicines to normalize your heart rate only as directed by your doctor. Self-administration of medication can be harmful to your baby.
Frequent bouts of tachycardia during pregnancy is an unfavorable symptom. If the expectant mother even in a state of complete rest feels irregular heartbeat or "interruptions" in the work of the heart, then she should immediately go for a consultation with a doctor.
Women with a history of the development of cardiovascular pathologies in close relatives should monitor their pulse during the entire period of pregnancy.
We advise you to watch the following video, in which you will learn all the necessary information about the heart rate.
