Exhaustion during pregnancy

Pregnancy and exhaustion

When a woman gets pregnant, many changes happen, affecting her physical and psychological state. On one side, almostevery woman is happy at the thought of a new life inside her and she enjoys itsince it is a completely different and exciting experience. But on the other hand, thepregnancy brings many discomforts and problems due to hormonal changes in thepregnant woman’s body. Therefore, morning sickness, nausea and vomiting, as wellas irritation, frequent mood swings and many other common symptoms, usuallyappear with the onset of pregnancy.

One of the pregnancy discomforts is exhaustion. Fatigue,tiredness and exhaustion are quite common in the first months of pregnancy. However,if exhaustion persists even in the late pregnancy, then it is important toconsult the doctor since it is usually the sign of some other underlying healthcondition and requires medical attention.

Causes of exhaustion during pregnancy

Exhaustion during pregnancy can be caused by variousreasons. A pregnant woman must nourish her baby and take care of it, aswell as of herself at the same time. Furthermore, there are many daily activitiesthat she also performs, such as household chores and many other everyday responsibilities. In the first months of pregnancy, the hormonalchanges occur. The changes in levels of the hormones progesterone and estrogenare responsible for morning sickness, nausea, vomiting and dizziness. Moreover,the uterus grows in order to accommodate the child until the delivery. All thesechanges affect the metabolism and dietary habits. Therefore, lack of energy,exhaustion and sleepiness accompany the pregnancy.

When the body gets used to the hormonal changes inthe second trimester, exhaustion decreases although it is still present. In thethird trimester, exhaustion is slightly increased since the baby grows rapidlyand the body prepares itself for the delivery. When exhaustion is severe after the first trimester,it is not quite common, since exhaustion should decrease after the firsttrimester. Therefore, a doctor should be consulted because it can be a result ofvarious conditions, such as depression, stress, insomnia or some healthcondition.

In case of sudden exhaustion during pregnancy, it isextremely important to go to see a doctor, for it usually happens due toanemia and hypotension or low blood pressure. Furthermore, diabetes and chronicfatigue syndrome may be responsible for the occurrence of sudden exhaustionduring pregnancy. When this condition is diagnosed early, it can be successfullyeliminated with proper medications.