After a woman becomes pregnant, the fetus gradually grows in the womb. The uterus, which originally resembled a pear-shaped inverted uterus, became the size of a watermelon at full-term pregnancy. The weight of the uterus also increases from 50 grams in non-pregnancy to 1000 grams in full-term pregnancy.
As the uterus and fetus grow, the sleeping posture of pregnant women becomes more and more important, especially in the third trimester of pregnancy, that is, between 7 and 9 months of pregnancy. Poor sleeping posture will not only affect the contraction of the uterus, but also affect the position of the uterus. It will increase the pressure of the pregnant uterus on surrounding tissues and organs, affecting the blood flow of the uterus and placenta.
The fetus exchanges gases and substances with the mother\’s body through the placenta, obtains oxygen and nutrients, and excretes carbon dioxide and waste. Adequate placental blood flow is crucial to fetal growth and development. Therefore, medical experts have conducted long-term clinical research and practice on the sleeping position of pregnant women, and confirmed that during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester, the left-side sleeping position is the best sleeping position for pregnant women.
1. The left lateral decubitus position can reduce the pressure of the enlarged pregnant uterus on the aorta and iliac arteries of pregnant women, maintain normal blood flow in the uterine arteries, ensure the blood supply to the placenta, and provide the fetus with the nutrients needed for growth and development.
2. The left lateral decubitus position can reduce the compression of the inferior vena cava by the pregnant uterus and increase the return blood flow to the heart. Increased blood return to the heart can increase renal blood flow, improve blood supply to brain tissue, and help avoid and reduce the occurrence of pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome.
Sleeping positions for pregnant women: Supine position: has the greatest impact on pregnant women and fetuses. Over time, it will compress the abdominal aorta behind the uterus, affecting the blood supply of the uterus, resulting in insufficient nutrition of the fetus. It may also affect the blood supply of the kidneys, resulting in reduced urine output, and toxic substances cannot be excreted in a timely manner, causing pregnancy poisoning and elevated blood pressure. , lower limbs and vulva edema, convulsions, coma, and even life-threatening in severe cases. Pregnant women sleeping on their back may also compress the inferior vena cava behind the uterus, reducing the blood returning to the heart and affecting the blood and oxygen supply to the brain. Pregnant women may experience symptoms such as dizziness, chest tightness, pale complexion, nausea and vomiting.
Pregnant women sleeping on the right side will cause the uterus to rotate to the right to varying degrees. This strains the ligaments and mesentery that maintain the normal position of the uterus. The mesangial blood vessels are stretched, affecting the blood supply of the fetus, causing chronic fetal hypoxia, and in severe cases, the fetus suffocates and dies.
The best sleeping position for pregnant women is on the left side. This position can turn the right-sided uterus into an upright position, thereby reducing fetal position and resulting abnormal delivery. It can also prevent the uterus from compressing the inferior vena cava, increase the cardiac output of pregnant women, reduce edema, improve blood perfusion of the uterus and placenta, help reduce premature birth, prevent the uterus from compressing the kidneys, and is beneficial to the growth and development of the fetus. and eugenics.