What causes a fast heartbeat during pregnancy?

I believe that many expectant mothers during pregnancy have experienced palpitations, shortness of breath, and accelerated heartbeats, especially those in the middle and late stages of pregnancy. They don’t know what kind of exercise they have done, but they still feel very tired and gasping for breath. Let me introduce to you some of the causes of this situation. So, what is the cause of a fast heartbeat during the second trimester?

First, what is the reason for a fast heartbeat in the second trimester? During pregnancy, in order to adapt to the growth and development of the fetus, a series of changes occur in the maternal circulatory system. In the late stages of pregnancy, the body's blood volume increases by 40% to 50% compared to when you were not pregnant, the heart rate increases by 10 to 15 beats per minute, and the heart's output increases by 25% to 30%. That is to say, the heart's workload is significantly increased compared to when you were not pregnant. In addition, in the late pregnancy, the uterus enlarges, causing the fibrous muscles to rise and push the heart to the upper left. In addition, the increase in weight of the pregnant woman and the vigorous metabolism further increase the burden on the heart. The body must increase the heart rate and stroke volume to complete the excess work. Increase lung ventilation by deepening and speeding up your breathing to take in more oxygen and expel more carbon dioxide. A normal heart has a certain reserve capacity to cope with the increased burden.

Second, once you experience palpitations and shortness of breath, don't panic. You can relieve the symptoms by resting for a while. You can also lie on your side and take a nap for a while. Be careful not to lie on your back to prevent supine hypotension syndrome. Palpitation refers to a person's awareness of a noticeable or irregular heartbeat, which makes him feel uneasy. It is one of the common symptoms of heart disease and another popular expression for the cardiovascular disease symptom - "palpitations".

What causes a rapid heartbeat during the second trimester of pregnancy? If there is no history of heart disease before pregnancy, and palpitations and shortness of breath occur in the last three months of pregnancy and these symptoms do not improve after rest, the possibility of peripartum cardiomyopathy should be considered. The palpitations and shortness of breath of peripartum cardiomyopathy mainly occur at night. The patient often cannot fall asleep in the middle of the night due to chest tightness and has to sit up to breathe, or often feels chest pain that is unrelated to exertion. If the above situation occurs, you should consult a doctor immediately.