worried about shortness of breath

[ekta]

Hi All! I have been experiencing a shortness of breath since yesterday? Please advice. I am really very worried. I am just around 5 weeks. I also wanted to know how the weeks are calculated? Weeks after LMP or Conception?
Warm Regards,
Ekta.

[trixie charles]

Weeks are calculated by taking the first day of you last menstral period.  You ovulate appro. 14 days after and are only fertile for appr. 24 hours.  That is why they say the average pregnancy is 38-42 weeks, it's to allow for that 2 week difference.  Call your doctor about the shortness of breath, do you have asthma?

[Jaelyn's Mama]

I know the baby can be the cause of your shortness of breath, dont remember when mine started. You are very early pregnant now, so maybe you should call the doctor. At least talk to a nurse or something.

[cinnamonheart]

Yes call the doctor
At 5 weeks, baby is too  small to cause breathing problems

[rationalbalance]

Shortness of breath in early pregnancy can be due to decreased blood flow to the lungs.  The maternal blood supply is busy "feeding" the baby.  I am almost 11 weeks and experience shortness of breath when I walk briskly or climb stairs.  I am in top shape, so it's no couch potato syndrome!

[nanakay]

yah i would put in a call to the doctor/nurse.  the baby it self it way to small to cause the shortness of breath.  the decreased blood flow is possible but i would still call....i got winded walking up stairs also (of course the stairwell i was walking wasn't named cardiac lane for nothing)
but i also got short of breath when the baby got bigger (i think i was about 30 weeks) the baby would put her feet under my diaphram and keep it from expanding, in turn the lungs can't expand as much and it makes you feel like your having an asthma attack.
let us know what they say if you do call
~nanci

[annalisa190]

Most pregnant women feel short of breath both early and late in pregnancy. Mild breathlessness is generally harmless and does not affect the amount of oxygen your baby gets.

Early in pregnancy, increased levels of the hormone progesterone cause you to breathe more often. This can look and feel like shortness of breath. This hormone expands your lung capacity, allowing your blood to carry large quantities of oxygen to your baby.

Later in pregnancy, shortness of breath occurs as your growing uterus takes up more room in your abdomen. These changes may make it hard for your lungs to fully expand. This may cause more shallow breathing, and you may feel short of breath.

During the last few weeks of pregnancy, this feeling may lessen when your baby settles deeper into the pelvis to prepare for birth. With the baby in this position, some of the pressure on the lungs and diaphragm will decrease.

What You Can Do:

Sit or stand up straight. Sitting up straight will allow your lungs more room to expand.
Slow down. When you move more slowly, you lessen the work of your heart and lungs.
Sleep propped up. To put less pressure on your lungs, prop up your upper body with pillows.
When to Talk to Your Health Care Provider

It’s normal to feel a mild breathlessness during pregnancy. Talk to your health care provider immediately if your breathlessness becomes severe or comes on very suddenly. Also, call your health care provider right away if you have any of these symptoms:

A rapid pulse
Heart palpitations (your heart beats fast and strongly)
Feeling dizzy or faint
Chest pain
Blueness around the lips, fingers or toes
A cough that doesn’t go away
Coughing up blood
Fever or chills
Worsening asthma