15/06/2025
Pregnancy Physiology
1. Hormones
• Prolactin: Stimulates breast milk production.
• Estrogen: Promotes growth of fetal organs and maternal tissues.
• Progesterone & Relaxin: Relax smooth muscles.
• hCG (human Chorionic Gonadotropin): Produced by the placenta to prevent menstruation.
• Oxytocin: Triggers uterine contractions at labor onset.
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2. Respiratory
• ↑ Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): More oxygen demand.
• ↑ O₂ Needs: Supports increased metabolism and fetal oxygenation.
• Mild Respiratory Alkalosis: Due to hyperventilation (normal in pregnancy).
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3. Cardiovascular
• ↑ Cardiac Output: Due to increased heart rate and stroke volume.
• BP: Generally stable or slightly decreased.
• ↑ Plasma Volume: Leads to hemodilution.
• Heart Enlargement: May result in systolic murmurs.
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4. Renal
• ↑ Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR): Due to increased plasma volume.
• Smooth muscle relaxation of the urinary tract (increased UTI risk).
• ↑ Urgency, frequency, nocturia.
• EDema: Due to sodium and water retention.
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5. Skin
• Striae: Stretch marks.
• Chloasma: Mask of pregnancy (brown pigmentation on face).
• Linea Nigra: Dark line from navel to p***c area.
• Montgomery glands/tubercles: Enlarged areolar glands (pimple-like).
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6. Pituitary
• ↓ FSH/LH: Due to elevated progesterone.
• ↑ Prolactin and ↑ Oxytocin.
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7. Thyroid
• ↑ Thyroxine: Mild goiter may occur.
• ↑ Metabolism & appetite.
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8. Musculoskeletal
• Lordosis: Spinal curvature changes due to forward shift in center of gravity.
• Low back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, calf cramps.
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9. Gastrointestinal
• Pyrosis (Heartburn): Due to lower esophageal sphincter (LOS) relaxation.
• Constipation & Hemorrhoids: Caused by reduced gut motility.
• Pica: Cravings for non-food items (ice, clay, starch).
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10. Hematological
• Fibrinogen: Increases up to 600 mg/dL (vs. 200-400 mg/dL in non-pregnant).
• Pregnant women are hypercoagulable, ↑ risk for DVT.
• ↑ WBCs and ↑ Platelets.
• Physiological Anemia: Plasma volume increases more than RBC volume, resulting in hemodilution.
Aerobic medical hall
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