Optimal sleeping positions during pregnancy
DEAR DR MITCHELL,
What are the optimal sleeping positions for a pregnant woman? When I lie on my left side and my back I get uncomfortable, but when I lie on my right side my baby squirms and kicks heavily like I’m hurting her. Is this possible? Can any sleeping position be harmful to the baby?
Also, I recently did an anomaly scan at 19 weeks, and found out that I have an anterior placenta. Is this cause for worry? The doctor did not express alarm, but from what I’ve read online, this is not the norm.
As the pregnant uterus grows, a sleeping position that does not cause muscle cramps or shortness of breath should be utilised. It is usually advised that you should not sleep on your back. The weight of the pregnant uterus compresses the main vessel in your body that takes the blood flowing back to the uterus and to your lungs. This results in a drop in the blood pressure and dizzy spells. It also reduces the blood that goes back to the placenta to supply the baby with oxygen and nutrients. This can alter the heart rate of the foetus in advanced pregnancy.
When you lie on your back you can also become extremely short of breath. As the pregnancy advances the space for the lungs to expand becomes reduced because the increased size of the pregnant uterus pushes the diaphragm and lungs further up into the chest cavity. In severe cases the pregnant mother has to sleep propped up on several pillows because of severe breathlessness.
It is usually recommended that you should lie on your left or right side. It is important to alternate sides since lying on one side for prolonged periods can cause severe numbness and discomfort from the constant compression. The use of a soft pillow to cushion the abdomen also helps in reducing the pressure on the foetus and makes things a lot more comfortable for you as well.
An anterior placenta is nothing of significance to worry about. It is a normal finding on ultrasound. The only time you need to be concerned about the location of the placenta is when it lies close to the cervix or overlies the cervix partially or completely. This condition is called placenta praevia. If this is found during early pregnancy, the tendency is for it to move upwards and away from the cervix as the pregnancy advances into the third trimester (after 28 weeks). In some cases the placenta praevia persists and a Caesarean section has to be done to deliver the baby. This is a cause of bleeding in pregnancy. In your case the anterior placenta is completely normal.
Congratulations on your pregnancy and best wishes for a safe delivery.
Dr Sharmaine Mitchell is an obstetrician and gynaecologist. Send questions via e-mail to allwoman@jamaicaobserver.com ; write to All Woman, 40-42 1/2 Beechwood Ave, Kingston 5; or fax to 876-968-2025. All responses are published. Dr Mitchell cannot provide personal responses.
DISCLAIMER:
The contents of this article are for informational purposes only, and must not be relied upon as an alternative to medical advice or treatment from your own doctor.
