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Why does my chest hurt during pregnancy? Why is it difficult to breathe, presses on the chest. When the chest hurts due to heartburn

Everyone knows that the healthy woman Your chest shouldn't hurt. Well, perhaps, quite a bit - during menstruation. However, even in this situation modern doctors It is recommended to listen carefully to the sensations and be sure to undergo an examination by a mammologist and an endocrinologist. Therefore, breast pain during pregnancy is perceived by expectant mothers as something terrible. But while waiting for a child, there is no need to be scared. However, excessive vigilance also does not hurt.

When is chest pain during pregnancy normal?

Literally a few hours after conception, a kind of “restructuring” begins in the woman’s body. First of all, the hormonal background changes. These changes may cause nausea, copious discharge from the vagina or previously unusual mood swings. All this early signs pregnancy.

In addition, in many women, even before the delay, the peripapillary circles begin to darken, and the breast itself becomes more sensitive and even begins to hurt. This happens under the influence of hormones. It is with their help that the breasts of the expectant mother are preparing for a responsible time - feeding the baby.

Also, a woman can observe other changes associated with the breast:

  • Slight swelling of the mammary glands - the breast increases in size;
  • Opening of the milk ducts slight selection colostrum;
  • Increased blood circulation - the venous network becomes visible through the skin.

However, such changes do not always occur in the first trimester. But if your chest hurts some time after unprotected intercourse, it may be a sign of pregnancy. This is especially true for women who are expecting their first child. You don't need to worry about pain. Most often discomfort disappear by the end of 12 weeks.

But in rare cases, pain can persist throughout pregnancy. In this situation, care must be taken to ensure that it delivers a minimum of inconvenience. How to do this, we'll talk later, but now let's look at when the chest still hurts during pregnancy and this is not a cause for concern.

Safe chest pain in the second half of pregnancy

Starting from the fifth month, the content of the hormone estrogen increases in the woman's body. This product of the endocrine glands prepares the mother's body for future childbirth. However, one of its “side” effects is an increase in mammary glands in size and chest pain during pregnancy.

Most often, this pain syndrome manifests itself poorly. In this case, the pain is rather pulling or aching. Often it appears due to a reaction to hypothermia or light pressure. But sometimes the chest hurts almost constantly, and the nipples become so sensitive that they react painfully even to light contact with clothing.

If at the same time the production of colostrum began, then women additionally note tingling, burning or itching in the nipple area. You should not be afraid of this. You just need to buy a bra for nursing mothers and change it in a timely manner special gaskets. You should also carefully monitor breast hygiene and wash the nipples at the slightest contamination. Sometimes changing a bra is enough to stop sore breasts during pregnancy.

When is chest pain a cause for concern?

Most often, pain in the chest during pregnancy is the norm. But sometimes it can also indicate serious pathologies. For example, if the pain syndrome is clearly felt under the breast, this may mean that the woman has latent edema during pregnancy. Also, pain under the breast or in the center of the chest can signal heart disease.

The expectant mother should also be wary if her chest hurts very much during pregnancy. Acute pain in the breast may indicate serious illnesses. For example, she notifies that a woman develops lactostasis or mastitis. In both cases, it is necessary to see a mammologist and cure the disease before delivery.

lactostasis- it's stagnant breast milk in the ducts. Most often this disease occurs after childbirth. But if mother's milk begins to form too early, then you can encounter this problem even during pregnancy. Recognizing the stagnation of breast milk is not difficult:

  • The chest becomes painful;
  • Lumps form in the mammary glands, which are easily felt during examination;
  • Redness of the skin may appear at the site of the seals;
  • Emptying thoracic ducts causes discomfort or is accompanied by severe pain.

Lactostasis develops as follows:

  1. If the duct or segment of the breast is pinched by clothing or is not completely emptied, then a milk plug forms in it;
  2. The milk plug clogs the exit of the duct, and the milk remains in the thoracic segment;
  3. Prolonged stagnation of milk provokes the appearance of mastitis.

Mastitis is an inflammation of the mammary gland. The disease can be infectious and non-infectious, but in any case dangerous. Non-infectious mastitis is caused by prolonged lactostasis, and an infectious variant of the development of the disease appears as a result of insufficient hygiene of the nipples.

milk secret- This is a beneficial habitat for numerous bacteria. If colostrum and milk residues are not removed from the nipples in a timely manner, then after a short period of time the bacteria will rise along the ducts and cause inflammation of the mammary gland. There is little pleasure in this. The disease progresses in acute form and is accompanied by symptoms such as:

  • compaction, coarsening and enlargement of the mammary gland;
  • sharp arching pain in the chest, aggravated by the slightest touch;
  • redness mammary gland;
  • general increase body temperature and fever skin in places of redness.

In the absence of proper treatment (especially when it comes to infectious mastitis), an abscess forms in the mammary gland. Often, to eliminate it, you have to resort to surgical intervention. If the abscess is not treated, then first impurities of pus will appear in the milk, and then enter the woman's blood, which is fraught with the development of sepsis. Therefore, with acute chest pain, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible.

How to relieve chest pain during pregnancy?

In order to get rid of pain syndrome, you need to find out why the chest hurts during pregnancy. If the cause is a disease, then it must be treated urgently. But if this physiological response body to change hormonal background you can use the following tips:

  1. Wear a comfortable bra. And give preference to a product from natural fabric on wide straps, without bones and synthetic inserts. Change your bra as your breasts grow, avoid squeezing your breasts and milk ducts.
  2. From the first days of waiting for offspring massage your chest terry mitten-glove. This will help you avoid stretch marks during pregnancy and cause the nipples to become slightly hardened, which will positively affect the subsequent feeding of the baby. You can also after hygiene procedures slightly stretch the nipples and twist them, if this does not cause discomfort.
  3. From the second half of pregnancy necessarily work on breastfeeding. Air baths and ablutions with slightly cool water will help you in this.
  4. With increased sensitivity of the nipples try not taking your bra off at night.
  5. After the appearance of colostrum use hygienic sterile pads. They are sold in pharmacies.
  6. Do not use shower gels and regular soap . Purchase for these purposes baby soap or a shampoo that is labeled "hypoallergenic".
  7. Daily do chest exercises. This will allow you not only to avoid pain in the mammary glands, but also to keep their shape.

Summary

Finally, I would like to warn you. Many pregnant women refuse to wear a bra due to discomfort in the area of ​​​​the mammary glands and nipples. Do not do that! A well-fitting bra lifts the chest and improves blood circulation. In addition, such underwear will not allow mammary glands sag during pregnancy.

If you refuse to wear a bra, then it is likely that blood circulation in the chest will be disturbed and blockage of the milk ducts will occur. And this, as you already know, is fraught with lactostasis and subsequent mastitis. So no need to take risks, take care of your chest!



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Pregnancy is special period when a radical restructuring occurs in the body, aimed at ensuring normal development child. And often expectant mother having to deal with uncomfortable feelings. Complaints of chest pain are one of them.

Causes and mechanisms

Pain in the chest has a variety of origins. The first thing that patients will probably think about is the pathology of the respiratory system, but everything is much more complicated. It is not possible to independently understand this issue, because only a specialist is able to make a diagnosis.

During pregnancy, many body systems begin to work in an enhanced mode. The volume of circulating blood increases, its passage through the lungs accelerates, the need for nutrients. On the later dates the enlarged uterus rises higher, it puts pressure on the organs abdominal cavity and diaphragm. Accordingly, their functioning is disrupted.

Even normally, women in the third trimester of pregnancy experience shortness of breath and dyspepsia. Often there is heartburn, which can be perceived as burning pain behind the sternum. With flatulence, the accumulated gases inflate the loops of the large intestine, causing discomfort in the upper abdomen and under the ribs. The situation is worse for those patients who had chronic diseases gastrointestinal tract:

  • Cholecystitis.
  • Gallstone disease.
  • Pancreatitis.
  • Colitis.

In the period of bearing a child, an exacerbation of this pathology is often observed, which is accompanied by pain in the hypochondria and back. It should be noted that during pregnancy, the load on the spine also increases, and in women with osteochondrosis, this provokes radicular syndrome. In this case, pain can radiate along the nerve fibers. In women in position, pyelonephritis is often observed, which is accompanied by unpleasant sensations in the lower back, sometimes extending to the lower parts of the chest.

But there are other situations that are not directly related to pregnancy. Myositis or intercostal neuralgia are the mildest conditions that can be observed in many people. Pneumonia, pleurisy, or pneumothorax are more serious, and thromboembolism or myocardial infarction is an extreme danger. Therefore, in any case, you should first of all consult a doctor.

What can cause pain during pregnancy rib cage, the specialist will answer. This requires a differential diagnosis.

Symptoms

Any symptom found in a pregnant woman should be carefully analyzed. Pathological process hidden behind it or physiological, it will become clear from the results comprehensive survey. And it begins with a survey and a medical examination, when complaints and anamnestic information are evaluated, objective signs are revealed.

If chest pains come to the fore in clinical picture, then you should first determine their characteristics:

  • Sharp or blunt.
  • Stitching, shooting, pressing, aching, burning.
  • Localized behind the sternum, on the right or left, in the hypochondrium or back.
  • Intense, moderate or weak.
  • Periodic or permanent.
  • Increased after eating, breathing, coughing, moving or changing body position.
  • Pass on their own or under the influence of certain medications.

But this is not the only symptom that will bother a woman - most often it is necessary to identify a combination subjective signs. And each of them is important for the diagnosis. Complaints may include:

  • Decreased appetite, bitter or sour taste in the mouth, belching, heartburn, rumbling, bloating and heaviness in the abdomen, constipation - with the pathology of the digestive tract.
  • Cough, sputum production, shortness of breath, fever - with respiratory diseases.
  • Increased urination, turbidity of urine, fever - with pyelonephritis.

Intercostal neuralgia is accompanied by numbness of the skin, burning and increased sensitivity. Myositis is characterized by local reddening of the skin and swelling. With osteochondrosis, there is a limitation of mobility of the spine due to pain and tension in the muscles of the back.

Physical examination reveals additional symptoms present in patients. When the chest hurts during pregnancy due to respiratory pathology, special meaning acquires percussion and auscultation. Pneumonia and pleurisy are characterized by weakening of breathing and dullness of sound. With pneumothorax, the latter acquires a box shade. If pyelonephritis is expected, then Pasternatsky's symptom will have to be checked, and the pathology of the digestive organs requires palpation of the abdomen (although it is most likely not possible to perform it during pregnancy).

Clinical signs are of paramount importance for diagnosis, especially in women during pregnancy.

Additional diagnostics

Help identify the source of pain additional methods. However, during the bearing of a child, their capabilities are limited, because only those that are safe for the fetus should be used. Preference is given laboratory research and some instrumental techniques:

  • General blood and urine tests.
  • Biochemical parameters of blood (inflammatory markers, amylase, creatinine, urea, proteinogram, lipid spectrum, etc.).
  • Ultrasound of the abdominal organs.
  • Magnetic resonance imaging.

Based on the specific situation, a woman may need to consult related specialists: a pulmonologist, a gastroenterologist, a neurologist (vertebrologist), etc. Based on the results of a comprehensive diagnosis, a final diagnosis is made that will remove any questions about why the chest can hurt during pregnancy. And this, in turn, will give all the grounds for further therapy.

Some women have noticed that it becomes difficult to breathe during pregnancy. The problem affects some from the first trimester, but more often occurs in the second and third. The reasons similar states similar, there are only minor differences.

In the second trimester heaviness when breathing is usually associated with shortness of breath. May occur: pain behind the sternum, in the region of the heart, a feeling that something is pressing on the chest, shortness of breath with physical work, discomfort when bending over, a feeling of lack of oxygen, shortness of breath when climbing the floors.

If a woman has difficulty breathing during pregnancy in the second trimester, the condition may be associated with the following features: growth of the uterus, anemia, overweight or its rapid set, heart and lung diseases (it is possible that these diseases were not previously diagnosed, one of the most dangerous diseases– thromboembolism pulmonary artery), psycho-emotional lability.


Bronchial asthma in a pregnant woman

It should be borne in mind that shortness of breath can disturb a pregnant woman if she is in a stuffy and hot room, with high temperature air in summer, may be associated with a reaction to pungent odors. Sharp and sudden shortness of breath may be due to allergies and swelling of the larynx, for example, to a bee sting, eating some food, flowering, etc.

In the third trimester. The causes of dyspnea after 28 weeks are the same as at more early dates. The closer the term to childbirth, the higher the bottom of the uterus rises and reaches almost to the xiphoid process. The pressure on the diaphragm, the stomach increases several times, which provokes shortness of breath. Anemia is also more common in the third trimester.

After meal. Overeating is also possible reason shortness of breath in pregnant women. Since the stomach, due to the growth and size of the uterus, is not in a completely physiological position for itself, rare but plentiful meals will lead to increased pressure on the diaphragm and lungs. It is worth reviewing your diet and making it frequent and fractional, which will help relieve stress and reduce discomfort when breathing.

The reasons why it is difficult to breathe, presses on the chest. May occur in the presence of organic diseases of the lungs and heart. If the pain during inhalation is sharp, this may indicate inflammation of the lungs (pneumonia or pleurisy), as well as intercostal neuralgia.

Diagnostics begins with a complete blood count to identify anemia as the most common problem. Additional examinations: ultrasound of the heart, ECG, Holter monitoring, radiography of the lungs, MRI of the lungs, examination by a neurologist, therapist.

To avoid shortness of breath, it is recommended: regular physical exercise, ventilation of the room, control of body weight, sleep on the left side with a high pillow, exclusion of all tight clothes, with increased psycho-emotional lability, it is useful to drink relaxing teas, yoga, Pilates for pregnant women, breathing exercises, should not overeat or take a large number of food before bed.

Read more in our article on why it's hard to breathe during pregnancy on different terms and how to alleviate the condition.

Read in this article

Why is it hard to breathe during pregnancy

Many women note a change in their condition and well-being during gestation. Part notes that during pregnancy it becomes difficult to breathe. Some notice similar changes from the first trimester, but more often similar problem occurs in the second and third. The causes of these conditions are similar, there are only slight differences.

In the second trimester

Heaviness in breathing is usually associated with shortness of breath. May occur:

  • pain behind the sternum, in the region of the heart;
  • feeling that something is pressing on the chest;
  • shortness of breath during physical work;
  • discomfort when bending over;
  • feeling of lack of oxygen;
  • shortness of breath when going upstairs.

If a woman has difficulty breathing during pregnancy in the second trimester, the condition may be associated with the following features:

  • Uterine growth. Every week the fetus increases in size. Starting from the second trimester, its weight becomes more significant, and the height of the bottom of the uterus already rises above the navel. This leads to some displacement of the abdominal organs - they rise up.
  • The pressure is not only on the intestines, but also on the diaphragm, which compresses the lungs. This leads to a decrease in the vital capacity of the lungs, the lower sections are already not ventilated so well. Hence the tendency to shortness of breath with previously feasible loads, as well as a predisposition to congestive pneumonia with complicated course. This factor cannot be influenced.

Uterine growth during pregnancy
  • Anemia. The second or third trimesters are often complicated by a decrease in the level of hemoglobin and red blood cells. Anemia occurs. First signs given state- shortness of breath, dizziness, weakness, fatigue, decrease in working capacity, decrease in indicators of pressure. Normalization of hemoglobin levels after a course of iron-containing preparations will lead to the disappearance of all symptoms or a decrease in their manifestation.
  • Overweight or rapid weight gain. In addition to the growing uterus, the woman's body weight also influences the breathing process. Pathological increase or initially overweight create a serious burden on cardiovascular system, causing stress and even an increase in pressure. Therefore, it is important to monitor nutrition during pregnancy.
  • Diseases of the heart and lungs. If a woman has difficulty breathing during pregnancy, this may be due to having heart or lung diseases - arterial hypertension, arrhythmias, heart failure, heart and lung defects, bronchial asthma. It is possible that these diseases were not previously diagnosed.
  • One of the most dangerous reasons shortness of breath - PE (pulmonary embolism). Occurs when a blood clot (usually from lower extremities) into the vessels of the lungs, as a result of which part of the lung tissue is turned off from breathing. This is a life-threatening condition for a pregnant woman and requires serious treatment and monitoring.
  • Psycho-emotional lability. Shortness of breath may be associated with increased susceptibility of a woman and an individual reaction to what is happening. This is especially possible if you have to experience stress or other unpleasant situations.

Expert opinion

Daria Shirochina (obstetrician-gynecologist)

It is impossible to distinguish self-permissible shortness of breath during pregnancy from pathological. Therefore, if in doubt or worsening of the condition, you should consult a doctor for a comprehensive examination.

It should also be borne in mind that shortness of breath can bother a pregnant woman if she is in a stuffy and hot room, at high air temperatures in summer. The severity of breathing may be associated with a reaction to strong odors. In this case, you should go to fresh air.

Sharp and sudden shortness of breath may be due to allergies and swelling of the larynx, for example, to a bee sting, eating some food, flowering, etc. In this case, you must immediately call an ambulance or take the pregnant woman to a medical facility.

In the third trimester

The causes of shortness of breath after 28 weeks are the same as in earlier periods. The closer to childbirth, the higher the bottom of the uterus rises and reaches almost to the xiphoid process. The pressure on the diaphragm, the stomach increases several times, which provokes shortness of breath. Anemia is also more common in the third trimester.

After meal

Overeating is also a possible cause of shortness of breath in pregnancy. Since the stomach, due to the growth and size of the uterus, is not in a completely physiological position for itself, rare but plentiful meals will lead to increased pressure on the diaphragm and, accordingly, the lungs. If it is difficult to breathe after eating during pregnancy, you should review your diet and make it frequent and fractional, which will help relieve stress and reduce discomfort when breathing.

Why is it difficult to breathe, presses on the chest

A similar feeling can occur in the presence of organic diseases of the lungs and heart. If the pain during inhalation is sharp, this may indicate inflammation of the lungs (pneumonia or pleurisy), as well as intercostal neuralgia. Any of the conditions should be a reason to see a doctor.

Do you need an examination and what

With complaints of shortness of breath, the minimum necessary examination — general analysis blood for anemia. This is the most common cause the fact that it is difficult to breathe in the second and third trimester of pregnancy. In other cases, the decision about whether it is pathological or normal condition, the doctor decides and, if necessary, recommends an additional examination. It could be:

  • heart ultrasound,
  • holter monitoring,
  • lung radiography,
  • lung MRI,
    • Prevention of respiratory disorders

    Regular physical activity, ventilation of the room, control of body weight will help reduce the likelihood of shortness of breath during pregnancy. The following tips will also be helpful:

    • sleep better on the left side with a high pillow;
    • it is necessary to exclude from the wardrobe all tight clothing;
    • with increased psycho-emotional lability, it is useful to drink relaxing teas and place aroma lamps with oils in the rooms;
    • yoga, Pilates for pregnant women, breathing exercises will help increase the reserve capacity of the body;
    • Do not overeat or take large amounts of food before bed.

    Breathlessness is enough frequent occurrence for pregnant women, especially recent weeks, when carrying twins. But still, if it presses on the chest and it is hard to breathe during pregnancy, the condition arose suddenly, you should consult a doctor for an examination. Sometimes the problem lies on the surface, and short-term treatment will help to significantly improve the condition of the pregnant woman.

    Useful video

    Watch this video about shortness of breath during pregnancy:

The mammary glands of a pregnant woman change under the influence of estrogen and progesterone. Hormones cause the breasts to enlarge, swell and swell, increase the sensitivity of the skin and nipples, dilate the milk ducts and activate areas responsible for lactation. The whole process can be accompanied by discomfort that lasts from several weeks to several months. We understand what kind of pain is the norm, and what symptoms indicate a pathology and are the reason for an additional examination.

Pain in the first trimester

Discomfort in the mammary glands may appear in the early stages of pregnancy. As soon as the egg attaches to the endometrium, the concentration of progesterone in the body will increase. The hormone expands the milk ducts and blood vessels, so the breast swells, swells, and a network of veins appears on its surface.

Progesterone also makes the mammary glands more rounded and heavy, and the nipples more tender and sensitive to any touch. The skin may take on a bluish tint, and discomfort often extends to Spence's tail, the area near the armpit.

Attachment of the egg and an increase in progesterone occurs in the second half menstrual cycle, most often - for 18-22 days. Around the same time, there are pains in the mammary glands.

Many girls attribute chest discomfort in the early stages to PMS. But in a pregnant woman, pain in the mammary glands is accompanied not only by edema and hypersensitivity. She also has:

  • the size of the nipples increases;
  • areolas darken;
  • breast grows;
  • Montgomery tubercles form on the areoles.

Pain in the mammary glands disappears or decreases towards the end of the first trimester, when the body adapts to hormonal changes.

Discomfort in the second and third trimester

Toward the middle or end of the second trimester, preparation for lactation begins. Increases the level of prolactin, which is responsible for the production of colostrum. Adipose tissue replaces the connective, and the milk ducts expand even more.

At 15–20 weeks, a woman may feel that her mammary glands have become more voluminous and have increased by 1–2 sizes. The nipples stretched out, and uncomfortable sensations appeared in the chest again. For many pregnant women, pain in the second and third trimester is not as intense as in the first. It occurs immediately after waking up, but in the evening it subsides and becomes almost invisible.

Discomfort in the second trimester does not appear in all women. In some patients, the breast changes and grows without pain. Discomfort occurs a few weeks before delivery or a few days after, when colostrum begins to be produced.

How long does the chest hurt

Breast tenderness may persist for one, three, or all nine months. In some women, discomfort disappears at 11-13 weeks, when the placenta is activated. The shell in which the fetus develops actively absorbs progesterone, so its concentration in the blood decreases slightly, and unpleasant symptoms pass.

In other pregnant women, the chest stops hurting just before the birth. And in the second or third trimester to aching or dull pain burning, dryness, itching in the nipples and stretch marks are added. Symptoms appear due to active growth adipose tissue. It stretches the skin too quickly, so the dermis does not have time to adapt to the changes, and discomfort occurs.

The pain disappears towards the end of the second trimester or by the middle of the third, when the woman begins to produce colostrum. Milk production is a signal that the breast has completely rebuilt and is ready for lactation.

Do breasts always hurt during pregnancy

The mammary glands do not hurt in all pregnant women. The breast can develop and grow without discomfort. In some women, the sensitivity of the nipples simply increases and a venous network appears.

The absence of pain in the early stages is not a deviation from the norm, but if the discomfort disappeared abruptly at 8–9 weeks, this is a reason to consult a gynecologist. In the first trimester high risk miscarriage and missed pregnancy. This is due to hormonal disruptions, stress, fetal pathologies or diseases. endocrine system at mother.

If the body's levels of progesterone, estrogen, or hormones are low thyroid gland, the mammary glands decrease in size, lose firmness and elasticity, stop hurting. Although in some cases, discomfort only intensifies. too intense and sharp pain- also a reason to consult a doctor and take additional tests.

How do breasts hurt during pregnancy?

Discomfort is moderate, medium and strong. At severe pain limited mobility upper limbs and chest, so a woman may need to consult a gynecologist and drugs that can reduce symptoms.

Discomfort sensations are different not only in intensity, but also in character. Pregnant women experience:

  • burning and pressing feeling in the nipples;
  • tingling inside the mammary glands;
  • swelling of the nipples and areolas;
  • bursting pain that spreads to both glands;
  • swelling of the nipples and areolas;
  • itching inside the breast or around the nipples;
  • dull or sharp pain that radiates to armpits, back and arms.

Discomfort during pregnancy is similar to PMS symptoms, but sometimes they are more pronounced or, conversely, less intense than usual. All these are variants of the norm, if there are no other warning signs.

When chest pain is normal

Pain in the mammary glands can periodically come and go throughout pregnancy. And that's okay. A woman should not worry if:

  • stretch marks appear on the chest;
  • a clear or white liquid is released from the nipples in the second or third trimester;
  • areolas darken;
  • itching and dry skin appears;
  • colostrum becomes thicker or thinner.

All of the above symptoms are just variations of the norm. If the pregnant woman does not have an increased or decreased level of hormones, there is no feeling of heat in the mammary glands, there are no seals or strange secretions, and the fetal heartbeat is clearly audible on ultrasound, there is no reason to panic.

When chest pain is a cause for concern

Additional consultation with a gynecologist and mammologist may be needed if a pregnant woman:

  • discharge appears from only one mammary gland;
  • the secret acquires a yellow or light green hue and an unpleasant odor;
  • one breast increases in size, and the second does not;
  • bloody inclusions appear in the discharge for more than 4-5 days;
  • fever and general malaise;
  • the structure of the breast is heterogeneous, there are seals and depressions inside the mammary glands.

Severe pain that does not decrease or disappear for several months can also warn of health problems. In 95% of pregnant women, unpleasant symptoms appear due to infections, inflammatory diseases and benign formations. But in some women, hormonal surges trigger the growth of malignant tumors, so if you have the slightest doubt, you should immediately go to the gynecologist.

The attending physician will examine the chest and help find the cause of strange symptoms. If the gynecologist has suspicions, he will refer the pregnant woman to a mammologist and offer to undergo an additional examination:

  • take a general blood test;
  • do an analysis of fluid from the mammary gland;
  • undergo a breast ultrasound;
  • make an appointment for an MRI or x-ray examination with a contrast agent.

Procedures involving irradiation of a pregnant woman are prescribed only as a last resort, but you should not refuse them. MRI and x-rays will harm the child much less than neglected malignant tumor at mother.

How to relieve chest pain during pregnancy

There are several ways to reduce soreness of the mammary glands during pregnancy: diet, physical activity and proper underwear.

Nutrition for chest pain

Leafy greens, legumes, and nuts reduce nipple sensitivity. And flaxseeds and fresh ginger improve blood circulation in the mammary glands and soothe pain. The ground seeds can be consumed with water, yogurt or fruit juices. Add ginger to salads and soups in small quantities.

Lemon and fennel are useful for pregnant women. Citrus tones blood vessels and helps with venous network, and also reduces toxicosis in the first trimester. warm water with lemon juice you can drink in the morning to remove nausea and reduce breast sensitivity.

With swelling of the mammary glands, it is worth reducing the amount of salt in the diet. She delays in soft tissues excess fluid and increases discomfort. Pure water, on the contrary, reduces swelling and improves the well-being of a pregnant woman.

Physical activity

You should not give up sports even at a later date, if there are no contraindications. Moderate physical activity tones up blood vessels and normalizes blood circulation in the mammary glands. Pregnant women benefit from Nordic walking and walking on fresh air, morning workout and special exercises to train the pectoral muscles. You can sign up for fitness or swimming for expectant mothers.

Proper underwear

Regular bras with underwire and decorative elements should be replaced with special seamless tops. Underwear for pregnant women they are sewn from natural and very soft fabrics so that they do not irritate the skin and do not rub the nipples.

Maternity bras have wide straps that support swollen breasts, and instead of bones, wide and elastic bands. They fix the mammary glands well, but do not disturb blood circulation and outflow of lymphatic fluid.

Bras come in several types:

  • for everyday life;
  • for Sport;
  • for sleep.

Sports tops are tougher. They protect the mammary glands from excessive friction and reduce discomfort. A sleep bra should be softer and more breathable. In the later stages, it is worth buying underwear with internal pockets for disposable liners that absorb colostrum.

The right bra should match the size of your breasts. Tight underwear that compresses the mammary glands too much will only increase discomfort and swelling.

Water procedures

A warm shower helps relieve pain. Hot water dilates blood vessels and improves blood circulation in the mammary glands. Warm shower can be replaced with a bathtub sea ​​salt, but the procedure should be discussed with a gynecologist.

If a hot water only exacerbates unpleasant symptoms, you can try cold compresses. Ice wrapped in cloth is applied to the mammary glands for 10-30 minutes 2-3 times a day. Cold constricts blood vessels and milk ducts, reduces swelling and reduces sensitivity nerve endings. Ice compresses should be used very carefully so that they do not provoke mastitis.

Helps fight nipple sensitivity proper care. Chest only needs to be washed soft gels or baby soap, wipe terry towel and after bathing, rub into the skin nutritious cream. Moisturizers protect against dryness and cracking, reduce the risk of stretch marks.

Nourishing cream can be supplemented with blue clay masks. It relieves swelling, dryness, inflammation and has a slight anesthetic effect. Clay masks are applied in a thick layer on the mammary glands for 15–25 minutes and washed off. warm water. The procedure is repeated 1-2 times a week. blue clay can be taken orally and added to the bath while bathing, but these methods are best discussed with a gynecologist.

Breast pain during pregnancy, as well as its absence, is quite natural, but this does not mean that it should be tolerated. It is better to discuss this problem with a gynecologist and, together with a doctor, choose methods that will reduce unpleasant symptoms, improve mood and improve the health of the expectant mother.

Each trimester of pregnancy milestone in the formation of a baby in the womb, associated with some discomfort in terms of restructuring female body. If a woman has chest pain during pregnancy, then first of all it is necessary to identify the cause of this.

Already from the first conception in the breast area, a woman experiences some discomfort that occurs against the background of hormonal modification. It is also worth noting those representatives of the fair sex who suffer from mastopathy; at this time, chest pains will not cause any innovation in them, since they experience such sensations all the time before menstruation.

Often, such pains alarm both pregnant women and doctors because of oncological diseases, namely breast cancer. The fact is that pain in this area is not always the cause of changes in organs. Therefore, it is best to go away when such symptoms appear. additional examinations, which will help to find out the real "seed of fire".

The main causes of chest pain during pregnancy are the following diseases: myositis of the pectoral muscles, pathology of the respiratory organs, angina pectoris, tonsillocardial syndrome, intercostal neuralgia.

With angina pectoris, chest pain occurs precisely during pregnancy, especially behind the sternum and radiates to the left mammary gland. During routine examination, detect this disease almost impossible, since both breasts have the same enlarged size and nodes, as such, are absent. Therefore, in this case, it is necessary to produce only an electrocardiogram for the correct diagnosis.

With intercostal neuralgia, there are sharp pains in the chest, which are given to the back. If earlier osteochondrosis was diagnosed in people middle age, then even schoolchildren are subject to such diseases in our time.

When chronic tonsillitis aggravates, pain in the chest also occurs, which mimics coronary heart disease.

Colds also in some cases affect the muscles of the chest with inflammation, which in turn are located precisely behind the mammary glands. As a result, during pregnancy, a woman has chest pains, and when coughing, these symptoms are aggravated.

With inflammation of the respiratory organs, each inhalation and exhalation is inextricably linked with pain in the chest.

If the pregnancy proceeds normally, without pathologies and abnormalities, the mammary glands are modified due to the fact that soon you will have to feed the baby. Thanks to increased number hormones, the breast increases, which is accompanied by sensations of itching, burning, bursting, and so on. This is the so-called relaxin, which acts on the ligaments of the chest. When the breast comes into contact with the bra, these feelings are exacerbated, and colostrum appears.

Such changes in the body of a woman are observed in primiparas, and they are caused precisely at the genetic level. For each woman, such interpretations in the body are purely individual: for some, these are pains in the chest area, for others, skin stretch marks.

During repeated pregnancy pain in the chest is practically not observed, and only the release of colostrum appears. The fact is that the mammary glands have already changed their shape, so each subsequent time their increase is not accompanied by pain.

Changes in the chest end at the moment when the placenta is formed, and this happens at the sixteenth to eighteenth week. Sometimes this happens even earlier, it all depends on the characteristics of the woman's body, its individuality.

If you exercise during pregnancy special gymnastics, the effect of which is to pectoral muscles, then you can get rid of pain as a result of improved cell metabolism. It should be noted that pregnant women are not carried out drug treatment pain in the chest.

Also during pregnancy, almost all women experience heartburn. The fact is that the enlarged uterus presses on the stomach, while its displacement upwards. Plus, due to the action of the hormone progesterone, the tissues of the esophagus and stomach relax, and this leads to the penetration of the acidic contents of the stomach into the esophagus. As a result such changes pregnant woman is experiencing chest pain. To avoid heartburn, it is not recommended to eat two hours before bedtime, and also not to eat fried and fatty foods. Also, doctors advise sleeping on high pillows to make it easier for the stomach to cope with the digestion of food.

most terrible reason pain in the chest during pregnancy can be a malignant process - breast cancer. It mainly occurs in adult women, over the age of forty-five, such cases are associated with late conception child. It is also worth noting women who are primiparous, but who have already terminated the pregnancy by force. AT similar cases it is worth carefully examining the breast, because with oncology only one mammary gland develops.

If a woman was diagnosed with a precancerous condition before pregnancy, then when carrying a child, you need to without fail be observed not only by a gynecologist, but also by an oncologist. When the symptoms of the onset of the disease are detected on early stages, then it is possible surgical treatment cancer without chemotherapy.

The absence of chest pain during pregnancy should also be alarming. future mother, in such a situation it is necessary to pass ultrasound examination because this position can lead to miscarriage.

In any case, if the chest hurts during pregnancy, you should seek the advice of a specialist. In no case should you make a diagnosis yourself and try to get rid of the symptoms. At this time, a woman should think about the health of the baby and do everything as prescribed by the doctor.