Asthenia during pregnancy |Parents.fr

Are you pregnant and tired?Even if you know it is a normal phenomenon, you would like to understand where this fatigue comes from and how to manage it.Parents explains everything to you, with Doctor Jessica Dahan Saal, head of the gynecology service at Pierre Rouques Hospital in Paris

You were told that you had asthenia during your pregnancy.But what exactly does this word mean?What is the difference with so -called normal fatigue?

Definition of asthenia

Everyone can at one point feel tired, after a bad night, after an intense physical effort, or during a cold for example."These temporary fatigue are normal and disappear with a little rest".When rest is no longer enough to remove fatigue, or only partially removes it, we speak of abnormal fatigue or asthenia.

A person suffering from asthenia feels unable to accomplish the tasks that she usually performs.The result is painful feelings like the feeling of being exhausted, "washed", "emptied"...

Asthenia is the consequence of a situation and can have various causes: sleep disturbances, a stressful situation at work or at home, a chronic disease...Pregnancy is one of the causes that can generate extreme fatigue.

When does fatigue start during pregnancy?

"The first and third trimester of pregnancy are the most tiring; the future mother often feels rather well during the second trimester" specifies the gynecologist.

In most women, fatigue begins in the first days or first weeks of pregnancy!It is one of the symptoms that can allow a woman to know that she is pregnant.

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Why is we tired during pregnancy?

Fatigue at the beginning of pregnancy, in the first trimester

First of all, the body is extremely requested during the first weeks of pregnancy.At that time, pregnancy is not yet very well known to the couple.While she is pregnant, the young woman must continue to work, to take care of the children already present, to take transportation...To do everything as before in the end!

There are also physiological explanations.At the beginning of pregnancy, the amount of progesterone in the blood is very high.This hormone has several essential roles.By relaxing the venous walls, it allows them to increase the blood flow necessary to increase gas exchanges.It prevents the contractions of the uterus to avoid a premature birth.At the end of pregnancy, its rate falls to allow delivery."But progesterone is also a hormone that promotes sleep, it has a sedative effect.This is why pregnant women are sometimes sleepy at the beginning of pregnancy."explains the gynecologist

In women waiting for several children or having had close children, iron deficiency is frequent.Lack of iron causes anemia, there are no longer enough red blood cells to transport oxygen to tissues.The consequence is an intense fatigue, in particular the effort.The pregnant woman who lacks iron is quickly breathless.

In addition, pregnant women suffering from nausea and vomiting will tend to eat differently or very little.The decrease in calorie intake can further increase fatigue.

Fatigue at the end of pregnancy, different causes

In the second trimester, fatigue usually fades and then returns in the third trimester.Indeed, in the third trimester, during the last weeks of pregnancy, weight gain becomes significant and the voluminous belly.Women are embarrassed in their movements and sometimes find it difficult to find a position to fall asleep.

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How to rest when you are pregnant?

Pregnant women must listen to and lift their foot before being too exhausted!The body knows how to send signals to alert us when our level of fatigue is too high: irritability, weariness, awkwardness...

It must be remembered that fatigue is normal during pregnancy.You must not be ashamed!It is not a question of saying "I wanted this child so now I assume".You have the right to refuse an invitation to go to bed early and ask for help!

How to fight fatigue with one or more children?

But how do you rest when you already have one or more children at home?Often pregnant women do not dare to ask for help at the beginning of pregnancy because they want to keep the secret.So put a person of confidence in the confidence so that they can count on one or two additional people in case of big fatigue!

How to manage fatigue at the beginning of pregnancy at work?

And when we work?There too, you can put a close colleague in confidence, even your manager if you have good relations.One more telework day in the week can already make a big difference: no journey, the possibility of taking a nap at the lunch break, calm...

In some companies, depending on collective agreements, a working time planning can be requested by pregnant women.In public service, for example, pregnant women benefit from one hour less per day.Enough to keep up to maternity leave!

Request a work stoppage for intense fatigue

If fatigue is really too heavy, do not hesitate to talk about it with your doctor, your gynecologist or your midwife during monthly monitoring visits.A 15 -day work stoppage could allow you to blow a little.

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The sleep of the pregnant woman

As the pregnancy progresses and the belly is rounded, finding a comfortable sleep position for the body becomes more and more complicated!

Sleep on the back

We sometimes hear that we should not sleep on the back being pregnant.If it is a comfortable position for you, do not deprive yourself of it.In some women, this position can trigger discomfort.If this is not your case, do not try to change position.The main thing is to sleep as best as possible to gain strength for the ultimate stage: childbirth and meeting with the baby!

Insomnia in pregnant women

The agitated nights are frequent in pregnant women, especially during the first and last months of pregnancy (first and third trimester), when it is the most tired.

Waiting a baby can be a source of anxiety and multiple questions, resulting in sleep disorders."The approach of the day of childbirth is also a source of apprehension for women, especially if it is the first baby or if a previous childbirth went badly."testifies Doctor Dahan Saal.

In some women, the fetus presses the bladder, making the mother want to urinate frequently and therefore to get up several times a night.Difficult to go back to sleep!

How to sleep well pregnant?

To optimize your sleep, it is recommended to get up and go to bed at regular times.The room must be very dark and not too heated.Like when you are not pregnant, avoid screens in the time preceding the bedtime.Relaxation exercises at bedtime help fall asleep.A small nap at lunchtime is also possible if you want.

Too generous dinner can also cause sleep disorders.Keep regular physical activity during the day and a balanced diet.Good hydration is also beneficial.

In the third trimester, sleeping on the left side can promote sleep by releasing the vein cellar.Some women also appreciate a breastfeeding cushion to sleep while lying on the side, with the cushion positioned between the legs and under the belly.

- Ameli.FR: Asthenia

A lire aussiAuteur : Stéphanie Le GuillouAvec le docteur Jessica Dahan Saal, cheffe du service de gynécologie de l'hôpital Pierre Rouques à Paris Article publié le