Physiological changes in pregnancy result in profound anatomical, physiological, and biochemical adaptations throughout a woman's body to support the growth of the fetus. These changes include increased blood volume, cardiac output, and blood flow to key organs. Respiratory function also adapts with increased tidal volume and minute ventilation. While these changes are normal and vital for a healthy pregnancy, they can also mimic or worsen underlying health conditions. It is important for healthcare providers to understand these adaptations in order to avoid misinterpreting them as signs of disease during pregnancy.
2. Maternal adaptations to pregnancy
Profound anatomical, physiological and
biochemical changes occur during pregnancy
Purpose is to support growth of the fetus and
prepare the mother for delivery and lactation
Some of the adaptations may be considered
abnormal if the patient was not pregnant
Normal adaptations can be misinterpreted as
disease
Pregnancy adaptations can unmask or worsen
pre-existing disease
3. Uterine changes
Progressive uterine enlargement
Helps in gestational dating
Helps in assessing fetal growth
Occurs in ectopic pregnancy also
Contributes to pedal edema by occluding venous
return
Supine hypotension
Due to vena caval compression
Occurs in women with poor collateral circulation
5. Haemodynamic changes
Decreased peripheral vascular resistance
Decreased by 20 25%
Decreased pulmonary vascular resistance
Decreased by 30 35%
Decreased colloid oncotic pressure
Decreased by 10 15% from 20.8 mm of Hg to 18 mm of Hg
Increased heart rate
Increased by 15 20%
Increased regional blood flow
Uterine 750 ml /min ; Renal 1200 ml / min ; Cutaneous 500ml /
min
6. Clinical Implications
Increased cardiac workload
Misinterpretation as heart disease
Aggravation of pre-existing disease
Susceptibility to Pulmonary edema
Pre eclampsia
Heart disease
7. Symptoms & Signs which mimic Heart
disease during pregnancy
Breathlessness
Pedal oedema
Easy fatigability
Palpitations
Orthopnoea
Soft systolic murmurs
Continuous parasternal murmurs
Third heart sound
Displacement of the heart
8. Effects of pregnancy on heart disease
Precipitation of cardiac failure
Aggravating factors
Maternal age
Arrhythmias
Anaemia
Pre eclampsia
Multifetal gestation
Activity
Infection
Anxiety
Increased coagulability of blood
Risk of infective endocarditis during labour / termination of pregnancy
9. Haematologic changes
Physiologic haemodilution
Neutrophilia
Marked leukocytosis in labour
ESR
Complement C3 and C4 elevated significantly
Increased clotting factors ( V, VII,VIII, IX, X, XII and Fibrinogen)
Impaired fibrinolysis through increase in Plasminogen activator
inhibitors 1 and 2 (PAI-1/ PAI-2)
Increased platelet size
10. Clinical implications
Increased demands during pregnancy unmask
iron and folic acid deficiency states, and
haematologic disorders like
haemoglobinopathies
Pregnancy and puerperium are thrombogenic
states
11. Metabolic changes
Water retention approx 6.5 litres
Increased plasma lipids and lipoproteins
Serum cholestrol 40%
Serum triglycerides 50%
Altered plasma proteins
Albumin to ~ 3 gm% (Non pregnant ~ 4.3 gm%)
Globulin to ~ 3 gm% (Non pregnant ~ 2.6 gm%)
A:G ratio 1 : 1 (Non pregnant 1.7 : 1)
Altered pH
7.45 (Non pregnant 7.4)
Altered plasma bicarbonate
22 m mol /L (Non pregnant 26 m mol /L)
12. Respiratory system
Increased awareness of a desire to breathe
(Progesterone induced central effect)
Diaphragm rises by ~ 4 cm. Transverse diameter
of thoracic cage by ~ 2 cm
Functional residual capacity to ~ 1500 ml (Non
pregnant ~ 2000 ml)
Respiratory rate unchanged
tidal volume ~ 700 ml (Non pregnant ~ 500ml)
40 % minute ventilation ~ 10.5 L (Non
pregnant 7.5 L)
Respiratory alkalosis pCO ~ 28 mm Hg (Non
13. Clinical implications
Increased awareness of desire to breathe may be
mistaken for dyspnoea
Respiratory adaptations help in meeting oxygen
requirements of the fetus
Respiratory alkalosis present in pregnancy
2,3 DPG levels in maternal erythrocytes shifts
Oxygen Dissociation Curve to the right, counter-
acting the effect of respiratory alkalosis and
facilitating oxygen transfer to the fetus
ABG values need to be interpreted in the context
of pregnancy
14. Urinary system
Dilatation of renal pelvis, calyces and ureters
because of hormonal and mechanical
influences
GFR 50% (Non pregnant 120 ml / min)
Renal plasma flow 45 50%
Serum creatinine & Blood urea levels
Serum osmolality by ~ 10 m Osm / Kg (Non
pregnant 280 300 m Osm / Kg)
15. Clinical implications
Hydronephrosis and hydroureter during pregnancy
should not be mistaken for obstructive uropathy
These changes are more marked on the right side
These changes may take upto 12 weeks to resolve post-
partum)
Upper UTIs are more virulent
Nocturia more likely as dependant edema fluid is
mobilized and excreted by the kidney
frequency due to mechanical bladder
compression
S. creatinine > 0.8 mg% and Blood urea > 30 mg%
16. Gastro intestinal system
Displacement of organs
Appendix displaced upwards and laterally
gastric empyting
tone of gastro-esophageal sphincter
Delayed intestinal transit time
Altered liver function tests
alkaline phosphatase (Non pregnant 21 91 IU/L
or 4 13 KA units)
plasma albumin
plasma globulin
Hyperemia and softening of gums
17. Clinical implications
Atypical symptoms and signs of appendicitis
during pregnancy. Risk of peritonitis
Major risk of regurgitation and acid aspiration
during GA
incidence of reflux oesophagitis,
constipation and haemmorhoids during
pregnancy
Bleeding from gums during pregnancy while
brushing
18. Endocrine system
serum Prolactin ~ 150 ng / ml (Non pregnant
< 20 ng / ml)
TBG
Total T3 (Non pregnant 80 -100 ng / dl) and
T4 (Non pregnant 4 -12 亮gm /dl)
TSH levels unchanged except for slight decrease
in I trimester ( normal range < 5 亮IU/ml or < 5
mIU / L)
BMR by 25 % can be attributed to fetal