Unexpected Side Effects of Pregnancy & How to Handle Them

We have not been shy about all the things that pregnancy brings into your life, not only a beautiful new baby, but also the side effects that come with their growth, development, and arrival. Some women deal with morning sickness, others have food aversions, both symptoms that some scientists say potentially protect the developing baby from being exposed to food-borne illnesses. There are, however, many other symptoms that you may experience during pregnancy that aren’t pretty and seem to have no explanation. We find that in situations like these, knowing beforehand makes the situations all the better. 

Overactive Salivary Glands

In addition to morning sickness, your mouth will start to produce saliva in overdrive. Typically, the salivary glands produce about 400 ml to 1 liter of saliva on a daily basis. That sounds like a lot, but it goes relatively unnoticed because you are constantly swallowing throughout the day. During pregnancy, however, women produce more saliva because of increased saliva production, decreased swallowing, or a combination of both.

Experts don’t have a definite reason for this happening but attribute it to hormonal changes. You can ease this symptom by chewing gum, drinking water, sucking on a mint, and/or frequently brushing your teeth. 

The Frequent Urge to Pee

As a result of a growing fetus pushing on your bladder, increased blood volume, and hormonal changes, pregnant women will frequently feel the urge to urinate. Not only will you find yourself running to the bathroom more often, but you may also notice that you leak a bit when you sneeze, cough, or laugh. It is an unexpected but unavoidable side effect of pregnancy as the mother’s pelvic floor weakens. Your body is circulating 25% more fluid during pregnancy so it is important that you are not holding it and are allowing yourself plenty of bathroom breaks in your day. 

Varicose Veins & Burst Capillaries

Varicose veins are swollen veins that appear near the surface of your skin. They may appear purple or blue and often in the legs due to several different factors: your growing baby adding increased weight and pressure on your legs and the circulation in your legs growing weaker. 

Varicose veins typically cause little to no discomfort and are resolved upon giving birth. Pregnant women may also experience hemorrhoids which are varicose veins that occur in the rectum. 

Similarly, pregnancy increases the risk of developing broken blood vessels which typically fade after giving birth.

Breakouts

Around week six of pregnancy, most women experience a surge in fluid retention and progesterone which causes an increase in sebum production, both of which can cause breakouts. And unfortunately, because of pregnancy, options for battling acne are relatively limited because of the active ingredients that can be harmful to the fetus. If you are struggling with acne during pregnancy, speak with your OBGYN and they should be able to give you recommendations of treatments. 

Excessive Sweating

Due to fluctuating levels of estrogen during pregnancy, you will probably find out that early on, you sweat a lot more than usual. You may also find that your sweat smells different than it ever has before. Changing hormones and an increase in blood flow can slightly raise the body temperature soon after you become pregnant which can make the woman feel hot and cause her to sweat more as her body attempts to cool her down. This is one of the first signs that signal pregnancy for many women. 

There are a couple of things you can do to counteract increased sweating during pregnancy: exfoliate your armpits frequently using a scrub or by shaving. Keep a deodorant in your purse to be easily accessible to you. 

The Dandruff

Dandruff can be a painful condition for some so dealing with it in addition to all the other side effects that come with pregnancy can be overwhelming. Many people associate dandruff with hygiene issues and not showering enough. However, dandruff is rarely the result of poor hygiene and more often the process of shedding dead skin cells to make way for new cells. It’s a completely natural process but when the process is faster, the scalp gets covered with flakes. 

Often dandruff becomes more of an issue during pregnancy for a variety of reasons. The skin often becomes more sensitive during pregnancy and can be irritated by the products you previously had no trouble with. As a result, changing up your hair care routine during pregnancy may be a good idea. 

Before looking for medical solutions to these side effects or others, check with your doctor.