Relationship between sleeping posture of pregnant women and fetal health

When a woman is pregnant, her body and life change a lot. They will become more delicate than before and will pay attention to a lot of details of life. Most pregnant women know that mother's sleep is also very important for the growth and development of the fetus.

What Kind of Sleeping Posture Is Good For The Fetus

If there is no discomfort in the early and second trimester of pregnancy (1-7 months), sleeping in a lying position is recommended. The sleeping posture of pregnant women in the late pregnancy (8-10 months) is particularly important. It is recommended to lie on the left side of the sleeping posture. This sleeping posture can correct and increase the right rotation of the uterus, reduce the compression of abdominal aorta and ilium artery, improve the blood circulation, increase the amount of blood supply to the fetus, and is beneficial to the growth and development of the fetus.

All nutrients obtained by the fetus from the mother must arrive from the uterine artery to the intimal spiral arteriole, and then spread through the placental villi space and enter the umbilical cord blood vessels of the fetus. At the same time, the fetus diffuses carbon dioxide and other wastes through the villi space and flows down to the maternal venous system.

When lying flat and sleeping, the blood vessels will be distorted by the right rotation of the uterus, the transport of nutrients will be blocked, the fetus will not get enough nutrition, and it is easy to cause fetal anoxia, stunting and even death. 

Methods To Improve The Sleep Quality of Pregnant Women

1. Before the pregnant woman falls asleep, the foot can be soaked with hot water and massage the foot muscles to avoid foot cramps after sleep. During the sleep, the pregnant women kept the lower limbs warm as much as possible, and is beneficial to the sleep.

2. Pregnant women should not sleep in a soft bed, because it can aggravate low back pain, but also cause aortic and inferior vena cava compression, affecting the health of pregnant women and fetuses. Pregnant women are advised to sleep in a hard bed. If pregnant women are not used to it, they can put on a cotton mat about 10 centimeters thick on the bed. Of course, pregnant women can also use memory foam mattresses. Memory foam mattress is not only soft, but also can give good support, so that the back does not deform while sleeping, to ensure the health of pregnant women and fetuses.

3. Pregnant women can properly put their legs high before going to bed to avoid edema or varicose veins in the lower extremities of the pregnant mother.

4. Turn down the temperature of the sleep environment. Because pregnant women's body temperature will rise relatively during pregnancy, a little lower temperature of sleep environment can make pregnant women feel more comfortable, help to sleep, but the temperature should not be too low.

5. Pregnant women should drink more water during the day and drink as little water as possible three hours before going to bed to avoid getting up at night and going to the toilet.