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Reduces legs during pregnancy: what to do?

Pregnancy is a time of waiting and doubts. Probably, women never have so many questions. Why does it bring her legs together so often? What to do if you wake up with cramps at night? How to deal with this scourge and avoid bouts of pain in the legs? We are looking for answers to these and other questions.

What are seizures?

Legs cramps not only during pregnancy, from time to time every person faces unpleasant painful cramps. A cramp is a sudden, uncontrollable muscle contraction that a person cannot relax. This condition can be caused by neurological disorders (for example, seizures are characteristic of epilepsy), a number of diseases (such as diabetes mellitus, osteochondrosis, and others), and can also be associated with physiological conditions. After all, convulsions occur, for example, after a strong overload, dehydration, hypothermia, etc. Sometimes cramps cause severe sharp pain. Sometimes it seems that the legs are pulling. During pregnancy, this condition, unfortunately, is noted quite regularly.

Why do pregnant women cramp their legs?

The mechanism of muscle contraction is quite complex, it involves different ions (charged particles): potassium, calcium, sodium and magnesium. If we are talking about a cramp, that is, a condition when we cannot relax a muscle, then magnesium ions play a leading role here. It is their lack that leads to the fact that women cramp their calves during pregnancy at night.

The lack of minerals in the body of the expectant mother is simply explained: such consequences are the restructuring of metabolism and functioning in the "double load" mode. In particular, the expectant mother needs one and a half times more magnesium than usual.

In addition to helping muscles relax, magnesium is also involved in a number of important physiological processes. In particular, magnesium is needed to regulate the processes of formation and expenditure of energy, it is involved in several hundred enzymatic reactions, and if there is little magnesium, then disturbances can occur in the work of almost any body system. Therefore, if magnesium preparations are prescribed during pregnancy, this recommendation should not be ignored.

Why do pregnant women cramp their legs at night?

The answer to this question is very simple. The fact is that during the day the body of the expectant mother bears an increased load. And the longer the gestation period, the greater this load. Violation of blood circulation, increased stress on the muscles - all this can cause night cramps.

What should I do if my legs cramp during pregnancy?

To begin with, tell the doctor you are seeing about this. The magnesium preparations already mentioned, which he most likely recommends to you, can help solve the problem.

However, the reason that the expectant mother cramps her legs during pregnancy may be not only a metabolic disorder. Often, muscle spasms begin as a result of varicose veins - the "faithful" companion of pregnancy. The veins of a woman carrying a baby are subject to increased stress. In addition, hormonal changes in the body seriously affect the state of blood vessels. All this contributes to the development of varicose veins. And a violation of the blood supply to the muscles of the legs, in turn, leads to convulsions.

If the expectant mother is faced with varicose veins, then the best prevention of its progression is to wear compression stockings selected by the doctor in accordance with the gestational age. You also need to give birth in stockings, so that during a particularly intense load on the veins to avoid worsening their condition.

It is important to remember that any discomfort in the well-being of a pregnant woman must be discussed with the doctor who is seeing the expectant mother. Even if the legs cramp infrequently, what to do during pregnancy should be determined by a specialist. This is the only way to avoid serious problems and ensure the health and comfort of both mother and child.

Leg cramps in pregnancy: causes, symptoms and first aid

Number of views: 96 191

Leg cramps in pregnant women: how to deal with this problem? First of all, you need to try to determine the cause.

Symptoms of leg cramps during pregnancy

Leg cramps are a painful contraction (spasm) of the calf muscles. The pain comes on suddenly and seems to permeate the whole body. Depending on the cause, leg cramps in pregnant women can occur at any time of the day.

Leg cramps in pregnant women: the main causes

The occurrence of leg cramps during pregnancy is most often associated with the following reasons:

Deficiency of these elements can be caused by:

• in the first trimester - frequent vomiting associated with toxicosis, as a result of which the body loses a large number of trace elements;
• in the second trimester - an increased need for a large amount of mineral salts due to the active growth of the unborn baby to form his skeletal system;
• excretion in the urine as a result of diuretics not agreed with the doctor;
• unbalanced diet.

2. Anemia

Anemia can lead to a lack of oxygen supply needed by the muscles. This can cause leg cramps in pregnant women.

Characteristically, convulsions associated with anemia or a lack of certain trace elements occur at any time of the day.

3. Stagnation of blood circulation associated with low mobility

Seizures can be provoked by being in an uncomfortable static position for a long time.

4. Varicose veins

As a result of stagnation of blood in the veins, cramps in the calf muscles may appear. They usually occur at rest: in the evening before bedtime or at night.

5. Reduce blood glucose

Glucose is the body's most important source of energy. A drop in this indicator entails energy starvation of the body, which can provoke leg cramps in pregnant women.
Convulsions associated with this cause are more likely to occur at night or in the early morning.

6. Inferior vena cava syndrome

From the second half of pregnancy, the growing uterus can compress the inferior vena cava, which leads to stagnation of blood in the lower extremities, the development of edema, and as a result, seizures. It is characteristic that leg cramps in pregnant women occur when lying on the back or on the right side.

7. Hypothermia

Cold leads to vasoconstriction, thereby causing calf cramps.

8. Dehydration

First aid for cramps

How can you help yourself during a cramp?

• Elevate the leg if possible, slowly but firmly pull the big toe towards you, or pull the whole foot towards you
• Try to breathe deeply and calmly while doing this.
• Helps kneading massage of the calf muscle to warm it up. Involve your loving husband. You can use massage balls or a hand massager. You can press your index finger into the center of the calf muscle for at least 20 seconds
• Pinching and stabbing the calf muscle helps to take your mind off the pain
• You can try a hot shower or heating pad
• After an attack, you can put on stockings or leggings (preferably pre-warmed) to keep the muscles warm and relax better
• Walking barefoot slowly can help, which improves blood circulation in the muscles of the legs

Treating seizures in pregnancy

Be sure to tell your gynecologist if you experience seizures. To identify the cause of this pathology, the doctor may prescribe additional laboratory tests, as well as examinations by narrow specialists.

Read in the online magazine: "The best doctors according to moms: voting results"

If necessary, the doctor will prescribe medication, multivitamins for expectant mothers or additional intake of calcium and magnesium supplements. Additional intake of calcium supplements should be agreed with the doctor and stopped after 35 weeks of pregnancy. Never “prescribe” vitamins and supplements to yourself without consulting a doctor!

If the level of glucose in the blood is low, the endocrinologist prescribes drugs to normalize this indicator.

In case of varicose veins, doctors prescribe wearing special compression underwear (socks, stockings or tights) to normalize vascular tone, restore blood flow, relieve swelling, which significantly reduces the risk of seizures. It is very important to choose the right size and degree of compression of prophylactic underwear.

Leg cramps in pregnancy: prevention

The following rules will help the expectant mother to avoid pain caused by cramps:

1. Proper balanced nutrition

• There should be 5-6 small meals per day
• Prefer complex carbohydrates (cereals, durum wheat pasta, fruits and vegetables), try to limit the use of "light" carbohydrates (sweets, starchy foods)
• Include in your diet plenty of foods rich in calcium (low-fat dairy products and milk, nuts, eggs, various types of cabbage), magnesium (nuts, seeds, legumes, fish, chicken, broccoli, carrots, spinach, raisins), potassium (bananas , potatoes, salmon, tomatoes, dried apricots, raisins, spinach, oranges, lean beef), B vitamins (dairy products, walnuts, red fish).

2. Reasonable physical activity

Reasonable and dosed physical activity will help improve blood circulation and prevent venous congestion. An excellent remedy for the prevention of seizures is the pool.

3. Proper footwear

Avoid uncomfortable, tight shoes and high heels. Wearing such shoes can lead to excessive stress on the foot and adversely affect the circulation of the legs.

4. Rest and foot massage

At the end of the day, try to lie down with your legs elevated. Do a light foot massage in the direction from the foot to the knee (you can use special refreshing creams).

An excellent option for relieving fatigue and swelling of the legs - contrast or tonic baths.

5. Avoid hypothermia

If your body is prone to hypothermia, wear warm socks for a night's sleep.

Following these simple recommendations, your legs will be "calm"!

MamExpert recommends: Courses for pregnant women "Intensive 2.

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