Feeling faint in pregnancy

You may experience some of the following symptoms just before fainting.

• lightheadedness
• blurred vision or spots in front of your eyes
• a sudden, clammy sweat
• feeling sick (nausea)
• fast, deep breathing
• confusion
• ringing in your ears
• yawning

If you have fallen and injured yourself please contact your Midwife or Maternity service. Depending on the extent of your injury you will need to ring an Ambulance. 

Feeling faint during pregnancy

Pregnant women can often feel faint. This is due to hormonal changes. Fainting happens if your brain is not getting enough blood and, therefore, not enough oxygen. You are most likely to feel faint if you stand up too quickly from a chair or when getting out of a hot bath, but it can also happen when you are lying on your back.

Some tips to help avoid feeling faint:

• try to get up slowly after sitting or lying down
• eat small regular meals and stay well hydrated by drinking plenty of water
• if you feel faint when standing still, find a seat quickly and the faintness should pass – if it doesn't, lie down on your side
• if you feel faint while lying on your back, turn onto your side.
• It's better not to lie flat on your back in later pregnancy or during labour. The weight of your baby, uterus (womb), amniotic fluid and placenta can press on the main blood vessels that run down your back and can reduce the amount of blood returning to your heart.

When you collapse to the ground, your head and heart are on the same level. This means your heart doesn't have to work as hard to push blood up to your brain. You should return to consciousness after about 20 seconds. 

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