Diagnosis
The diagnosis of a vena cava compression syndrome is made mainly by the specific symptoms. In most cases, women are affected in the last three months of their pregnancy, who mainly get problems with their circulation when lying down. The pregnant woman should first try to change her position when the symptoms become apparent.
If the circulation problems then disappear and do not occur even in the corresponding position, this is already a very clear sign of a vena cava compression syndrome. To confirm the diagnosis, the attending gynecologist can use ultrasound to assess the situation in the abdomen. Under certain circumstances, it may even be possible to observe how the uterus squeezes the vein in this way. If the patient is not pregnant or is a man, comprehensive diagnostics with imaging procedures and laboratory tests should be initiated to find the cause.
Symptoms
The symptoms that occur with the vena cava compression syndrome are caused by the blood deficiency that occurs in the heart due to the pinching. There is not enough volume, which also reduces the release of new, oxygen-rich blood. The blood pressure therefore drops rapidly and a circulatory crisis occurs.
The first thing the patient notices is sudden dizziness. The brain thus draws attention to the fact that there is not enough oxygen available. The next thing that can happen is that the patient becomes unconscious or even faints.
If this happens, quick action must be taken to prevent consequential damage to mother and child. The heart tries to compensate for the reduced blood output by a faster frequency, which is why heart palpitations occur. In addition, deep and heavy breathing occurs because the body does not know that the lack of oxygen is not caused by a lung problem. Due to the usually short duration, the oxygen deficiency rarely causes damage to the mother, but can have considerable consequences for the growing child.In the worst case, this can lead to so-called fetal hypoxia (a lack of oxygen in the child), which can cause not only premature birth but also late damage to the baby. The following topic may also be of interest to you: pregnancy complications and dizziness during pregnancy
All articles in this series:
