Third trimester of pregnancy ( II )

• Swelling. The body produces and retains additional fluid during pregnancy. As a result, many woman experience slight swelling. It is especially common in the last few months of pregnancy. Swelling most often occurs in the legs, feet and ankles, but also may occur in the hands and face. Pressure from the uterus on the veins that return blood from the feet and legs may also cause swelling in the feet and legs. Swelling may be more severe in warmer seasons or climates.

Women may benefit from drinking fluids and placing a cold compress on affected areas. Patients with swollen legs or ankles may benefit from wearing a larger shoe size and resting whenever possible with their feet elevated. Women experiencing sudden or extreme swelling of the feet, ankles, hands and face, or sudden weight gain, should immediately contact their ObGyn. It may be a sign of preeclampsia, a serious pregnancy complication.

• Aches and pains. Expansion of the uterus and the abdomen may cause pains in the abdomen, groin or thighs. Pressure from the fetus’s head, increased weight and loosening joints can also cause backaches or aching near the pelvic bone. Backaches may also result from strain on the muscles that support the spine. Women may benefit from lying down, resting, sitting in chairs with good back support and applying heating pads or ice packs to the affected area. In addition, some gentle stretching of the muscles or massage may help ease the discomfort.

Women should contact their ObGyn when pains do not improve after resting or when back pain is accompanied by fever (a sign of infection and other complications). Physicians should also be immediately notified when a patient experiences moderate or severe pelvic pain or any degree of pelvic pain that lasts more than four hours.