Causes of falls
At the beginning of pregnancy, expectant mothers fall due to the fact that they are not yet accustomed to their position and changing body. They still try to be active, do everything on their own, and do not give up many dangerous habits: talking on the phone while going down the stairs, wearing high heels and uncomfortable shoes.
Therefore, the first rule of a pregnant woman is caution. You can remain as active, but you need to become more careful.
In the early stages, hormonal changes provoke not only toxicosis, but also severe dizziness or fainting. Before an attack, you feel weak, your legs become weak, sweat appears on your forehead, your heart beats faster. You need to sit down or lean on something to avoid falling.
Active preparation of the “nest” can also cause a fall. The woman suddenly decides that it is urgently necessary to carry out repairs, buy the necessary supplies, etc. Excessive activity can lead to the fact that the expectant mother, who has already become awkward, will fall.
In later stages, when the belly becomes large, women's gait changes: they lean back. This position can also cause a fall - the center of gravity shifts.
Why do pregnant women fall?
- Limited view.
A protruding belly makes it difficult to look under your feet and notice unevenness in the road. Of course, most potholes are visible in a couple of steps and, if you are careful, you can always get around them, but...
Decreased attention in pregnant women.
Although scientists deny the connection between pregnancy and absent-mindedness, many expectant mothers still complain that their memory and observation skills are deteriorating. You need to concentrate on the road!
Changes in the center of gravity of a pregnant woman.
When your belly weighs 6-7 kg “hangs” in front, you involuntarily lean back to maintain balance. The famous “proud walk” of pregnant women appears - shoulders thrown back, head raised. However, only athletic, well-trained women can maintain dexterity and agility in an interesting position!
Even athletes in the last trimester of pregnancy can be let down by their pregnant body. The fact is that before childbirth, substances are released that soften the cervix
so that its opening is easy and quick. Not always, but often both ligaments and joints react to them, especially in the pelvic area. No matter how well trained a woman is, she can lose her balance because her body is not behaving “right.”
Finally, you can simply lose consciousness.
A woman’s heart and blood vessels experience a double load during pregnancy, because the volume of blood in her body increases by one and a half liters! Vascular spasm can cause dizziness and fainting. And this is the most dangerous type of fall. After all, a pregnant woman does not have time to group.
Nature protects
A fall poses a greater danger to the pregnant woman herself than to the fetus. Nature has thought out a lot of protective mechanisms that protect the baby from such accidents.
For example, during fainting, smooth muscles relax, which prevents miscarriage and removes hypertonicity of the muscles, including the uterus. Due to muscle relaxation, the impact force is significantly reduced, even if the pregnant woman falls on her stomach.
In the second half of pregnancy, the baby is surrounded by amniotic fluid and membranes, and is securely held by the placenta. They perform a shock-absorbing function in case of falls. Therefore, in most cases the child will not even feel the fall.
Trouble can only arise if there is a direct blow to the stomach: a child jumped, a car accident occurred, etc. Moreover, the later the date, the higher the risks.
Safe walking rules for pregnant women
- The right shoes
from the first days of pregnancy: non-slip sole, low heel 2-3 centimeters, preferably tight ankle support.
railings and handrails with your hands
wherever they are.
If you have the opportunity to avoid driving on ice
- do not do that. If necessary, ask others for help! And, of course, if you require timely cleaning of the yard from your management company.
Keep yourself safe at home: some anti-slip mats
in the bathtub, in the shower stall and on the floor in the bathroom will significantly reduce the risk of accidental falls. Avoid latches and latches in the bathroom that cannot be opened from the outside - your loved ones should be able to quickly come to your aid.
Check if the chair has escaped from you! Many pregnant women fall to the floor because the chair on wheels moves away
by five centimeters. Remember, in the last trimester of pregnancy you are no longer as agile as before.
Push yourself carefully
from a sitting, and especially a lying position, to avoid dizziness.
Finally, if you are just planning a pregnancy, be sure to engage in fitness; balance exercises will be especially useful. If you are already expecting a child, then discuss with your doctor the possibility of doing special education. Each workout is +1 point to your agility, and therefore to a successful pregnancy!
Prepared by Alena Novikova
Falling during pregnancy is one of the main fears of pregnant women for good reason, but, unfortunately, it is impossible to completely insure yourself against this. Falling is especially likely during pregnancy in winter, when there is ice underfoot and the pregnant woman is wearing heavy winter clothes.
Injuries during pregnancy are especially common among lovers of high heels who cannot find the strength to part with them, and it’s good if it’s just a damaged ankle. A blow to the stomach during pregnancy is very dangerous, no matter how protective the baby’s nature is. Falling in the early stages of pregnancy is also dangerous, despite the fact that the baby is protected and located deep in the pelvic cavity.
What are the dangers of falling during pregnancy?
The pregnant woman becomes clumsy, in the later stages she doesn’t even see where she is stepping, her tummy blocks her view.
The gait becomes slow and careful, but still, it is very easy to lose balance. Nature has provided for the possibility of injury during pregnancy.
A fall in the early stages does not directly harm the baby, because the uterus is reliably protected by the woman’s pelvic bones, and even a bruise in the abdomen during pregnancy up to 10-12 weeks most often does not affect the baby in any way.
A fall on the stomach during late pregnancy also usually does not lead to injury to the baby himself, he is surrounded by the amniotic sac and water softens even a direct blow.
But do not forget about the following factors:
A fall is always a sharp shock to the body, and it is not necessary to fall on your stomach. The body gets a shake-up in any case, even if the mother slipped and fell in the safest way.
Falling even on the “butt” during pregnancy is dangerous at any stage, since a sharp shaking of the house where the baby lives can lead to placental abruption and bleeding, and in the later stages, to damage to the amniotic sac.
Placental abruption often leads to the death of the child; in the long term, it also threatens the life of the mother.
A fall is fear, stress, and the release of a large amount of hormones into the blood, which can themselves cause a miscarriage. Pregnant women should not be scared or worried, anyone knows this.
A direct blow to the stomach during late pregnancy is only partially extinguished by amniotic fluid and fetal membranes. If the injury is serious, the child may suffer directly, that is, receive bruises and even fractures.
Impacts during pregnancy, inflicted on a pregnant woman intentionally, for example, as a result of beatings, quite often end sadly, with miscarriage and the death of the child.
Serious injuries during pregnancy, for example, spinal injuries, fractures, traumatic brain injury, can raise the question that now it is no longer the child who is most important, but his mother...
The consequences of a fall during pregnancy can be very serious, even if you just fall on your back. Of course, it is better to try to avoid injury, especially since in most cases this is possible by showing only forethought and caution.
Main rules if you are pregnant:
— give up high-heeled shoes, platform shoes, buy yourself comfortable, high-quality shoes with non-slippery, stable soles.
- Avoid walking in areas where it is obviously slippery and where you could fall. - go down and up the stairs, without neglecting the railings, they were invented for this purpose, so that you could insure yourself from troubles. - icy conditions on the street are a sufficient reason for you not to walk alone, the reliable hand of a companion is the best protection against falls. - do not carry bags, keep your hands free. - Avoid restricting movement and uncomfortable clothing. - if you start to fall, grab onto everything that is nearby without hesitation. Even if a person unknown to you supports you, there should be no embarrassment, you are pregnant, and any person is simply obliged to help you if you need it. And lastly, learn to fall correctly.
. Don’t smile, you can also fall correctly during pregnancy; if you attended any martial arts class, you would be taught how to fall correctly first of all. To minimize the risk of injury from a fall, even when falling on your back or stomach, at the very moment of the fall you have the necessary split second to twist and fall on your side. It's safer. If you fall on your side, you definitely won't break anything or hit your head. Never extend your arms forward when falling; if you fall on your arm, you risk getting a fracture. When falling, say, on your left side, the movement of your left hand should be directed, it should not end up under you and take the blow. Correctly and safely, if it turns out to be extended to the side and takes a blow when falling flat, you should, as it were, slam your whole hand on the ground, the load will be distributed not along the axis of the limb, but along it, and you will avoid a fracture.
What to do if a woman still falls during pregnancy?
First of all, you need to assess the consequences.
Simple bruises during pregnancy are no more dangerous than at any other time; you should not be afraid of ordinary bruises, it is important that your child is not injured.
If you manage to fall on your stomach, consult a gynecologist just in case, even if nothing worries you.
Whether a fall during pregnancy is dangerous for a child in each specific case can be determined by a number of symptoms:
Bruises during early pregnancy:
- discomfort in the lower abdomen - any discharge from the genital tract, bloody, brown, beige, even if it is just a small spot.
Consequences of a fall
Conventionally, the consequences are divided into 2 large groups:
- creating threats to the fetus (obstetric);
- adversely affecting the mother (non-obstetric).
Obstetric complications
This group includes all threats that are in one way or another associated with disruption of the course of pregnancy.
Despite all the natural protective mechanisms, a careless fall can harm the baby in the womb.
Premature placental abruption
Potentially one of the most insidious complications. During a normal pregnancy, the placenta detaches only after childbirth. However, a sharp blow to the stomach can cause it to peel off prematurely.
The main symptoms of the pathology are pain in the abdomen, hypertonicity of the uterus, internal or open bleeding. In the latter case, bloody discharge will be observed.
Placental abruption may be small and non-progressive; this phenomenon may go unnoticed by mother and baby or lead only to minor fetal hypoxia. With significant damage, it can provoke intrauterine death.
Threat of miscarriage
It can be caused not so much by the traumatic impact itself, but by the state of the woman herself: fear, excitement. Stress may cause cramping pain, hypertonicity of the abdominal muscles, and spotting.
All this is a reason to urgently consult a doctor. Most likely, the pregnant woman will be placed “for preservation.” In most cases, timely treatment allows you to maintain pregnancy.
The woman will undergo a course that will help relieve symptoms. Typically, drugs are prescribed that reduce uterine hypertonicity, reduce stress levels, antispasmodics and general tonics.
Rush of amniotic fluid
If a woman hits her stomach hard during pregnancy, this can lead to damage to the amniotic sac and premature rupture of amniotic fluid. They can flow profusely, leaving no doubt about the problem.
This is typical for damage to the bottom of the bladder. Sometimes the leakage occurs in small portions and is difficult to notice even for the woman herself. This symptomatology is typical for damage to the upper part of the bladder.
If you suspect that amniotic fluid has begun to leak, you need to make yourself a cotton pad. It must be thoroughly ironed on both sides with a hot iron to disinfect it.
It is not recommended to use regular sanitary pads; their absorption will make further diagnosis difficult.
Then you need to see a doctor who can determine how serious the problem is.
Fetal hypoxia
Hypoxia is fetal starvation, lack of oxygen. The condition may occur due to the mother's condition.
When stressed, blood vessels narrow, as a result, the child receives less blood, nutrients and oxygen contained in it. In case of an unsuccessful fall, the vessel supplying the fetus with blood may be damaged or narrowed. This will also cause hypoxia.
Fetal hypoxia can manifest itself as a sharp decrease or increase in the child’s activity in the womb. It can be unambiguously identified only by performing tests: ultrasound, cardiotocography, Doppler.
Non-obstetric complications
This is a large group of complications that are dangerous only for the mother. This includes various injuries: bruises, wounds, fractures. In general, they will not affect the condition of the fetus and the course of pregnancy.
If a pregnant woman is injured, it is necessary to provide first aid: apply cold for a bruise, stop bleeding if injured, etc. In case of significant damage, it is best to call an ambulance.
Will a fall harm the baby's health?
Unlike you, the baby is protected by amniotic fluid, which perfectly absorbs all shocks and shocks. So if we are talking about an everyday fall from the height of one’s own height, then, most likely, the child will not damage or break anything. However, there is danger!
- Damage to the placenta.
The most dangerous complication of a fall. Even in the second trimester, when detachment itself is unlikely, a large blood vessel connecting the body of the child and mother may be damaged, which will lead to an increase. In the third trimester, placental abruption may begin, which will require an emergency caesarean section - otherwise the baby may die. Call an ambulance immediately if you feel severe pain, especially in the lower abdomen, you have bleeding, and the uterus is hypertonic.
Leakage of amniotic fluid.
A blow may cause a crack to appear in the amniotic sac, through which it will leak. This can lead to a dangerous complication of pregnancy - oligohydramnios, which can lead to intrauterine infection. If you notice traces of liquid on your underwear, consult a doctor immediately; pregnancy can be successfully carried to term with proper medical care!
Finally, your fear and pain can trigger the release of adrenaline, a stress hormone that, among other things, causes blood vessels to constrict. The child may experience temporary hypoxia
- lack of oxygen.
How to mitigate the consequences
You need to learn how to fall correctly. It is considered optimal to fall on your side during pregnancy. It is the least traumatic for the child and mother.
To land on your side, you need to turn your body slightly to the side in flight. In this case, there will be no abdominal bruise if you fall. You should not put your arm or leg out to the side or in front of you to avoid a broken limb or concussion.
After a fall, you don't need to jump up immediately. It is recommended to lie down for 1-2 minutes, listen to your own feelings and move your arms and legs. This will allow you to assess your condition.
Even in winter, there is no need to get up hastily: in a short time the body will not have time to become hypothermic: a sudden rise and stress can cause a surge in blood pressure and fainting.
You need to rise gradually, preferably with someone's help, avoiding unnecessary tension. You need to take a comfortable position, for example, roll and kneel, and then take a vertical position.
If you feel unwell, or there is a feeling that something is wrong with the child, you must immediately call an ambulance. Then the pregnant woman will be taken to the hospital, where she will undergo all the necessary examinations.
You fell: your actions
Don't rush to your feet
. Move slowly and carefully.
If you fall on your side or back, sit down carefully, then get on your knees or on all fours
.
Get up from this position already. If you fall on your stomach, first turn on your side, then sit down, then on your knees (on all fours) and only then get up. Whenever possible, use the help of others, but do not let them make decisions! With the best of intentions, you may be picked up and shaken violently, aggravating any possible injuries. So try to concentrate and give clear commands to your volunteers: “Help me sit down”, “Help me kneel down”, “Help me get up from my knees”.
Even if it seems to you that everything turned out okay, consult a doctor as soon as possible, preferably on the same day. If you feel any discomfort, call an ambulance immediately
!
How to avoid falling
It is best to pay sufficient attention to fall prevention. You can avoid them if you follow simple recommendations:
- do not walk, especially on slippery surfaces, with your hands in your pockets, this interferes with natural balancing;
- it is necessary to hold the chair so that the woman does not accidentally fall on her tailbone when sitting down;
- if you need to go outside in rain or ice, it is advisable to seek help and backup from someone - support will reduce the risk of falling on a bad road;
- the bag interferes with balancing, so it is better to leave it at home during simple walks;
- It is better to distribute purchases evenly across 2 packages so as not to create an imbalance;
- you need to move in small steps; when walking on a slippery surface, you need to switch to the “penguin step”;
- you need to buy shoes with stable and non-slip soles (it’s easy to check the quality of the sole: you need to run your fingernail along it, if a scratch remains, then the shoes will not slip);
- when moving up the stairs, you must stick to the railing and not talk on the phone;
- You need to get up or sit down slowly so that you don’t feel dizzy due to a sudden change in body position.
If a fall does happen, there is no need to panic: stress can have a more detrimental effect than the fall itself.
