Nosebleeds during pregnancy

Nosebleeds (epistaxis) during pregnancy can of course be bothersome and stressful for the woman, but there is no danger to the unborn child, on the contrary. Nosebleeds are an almost classic symptom in pregnancy, which, like nausea, affects some women more and others less. The cause of the increased occurrence of nosebleeds is on the one hand a general increase in blood volume.

After all, the expectant mother has to supply blood not only to her own body but also to that of her baby. This is why there is an increase in blood volume during pregnancy. This also improves the blood supply to the mucous membranes.

There is a particularly thin mucous membrane in the nose. This can dry up easily, especially in cold weather, i.e. mostly in winter. This quickly leads to the characteristic nosebleed, which can sometimes be torrential, depending on the predisposition and thinness of the mucous membrane.

The reason for the increased rupture of the veins is the hormone estrogen, which is produced in greater quantities during pregnancy. This hormone loosens the mucous membranes on us and thus causes a slightly congested nose on the one hand and on the other hand, the veins under the mucous membrane become more sensitive and burst open more easily. Since the mucous membranes are slightly swollen, the nasal passage is also narrowed and the woman finds it difficult to breathe, especially when lying down, which can lead to snoring.

These symptom triad: nosebleed, blocked nose and light snoring are a typical sign in pregnancy and should not be a concern for the expectant mother. You can already achieve a lot with the help of nasal ointments, nasal showers and a raised position of the head when sleeping.Nosebleeds can be avoided, especially in winter, by lubricating the nasal mucosa with a particularly high-fat cream, such as Vaseline, and thus counteracting dryness. In addition, too strong nose blowing should be avoided because the veins are more easily torn and then it comes to nosebleeds.

If a nosebleed does occur, the pregnant woman should keep calm and always bear in mind that it is a completely harmless side effect. You should sit down with your head slightly bent forward and possibly put a cool washcloth in the neck. After a few seconds to minutes, the nosebleed should stop.