What are the Causes of High Heart Rate during Pregnancy?

During pregnancy, it is usual to experience an increase in heart rate. However, this sometimes becomes disturbing in causes discomforts, especially during sleep. Nevertheless, there is nothing to get worried about. It is important to take routine medical checkups. Concern with the doctor if you observe any uncertain health condition. The increase in a heartbeat is considered to be healthy for pregnancy, which is harmless for the baby and mother both. Along with this, keep monitoring the heart rate as it should not surpass 140 bpm, which could become a sign of causing some other health problems.

Well, the causes of the increase in a heartbeat could be different in every woman. However, with the physiological changes, there are some other possible causes of a raised heartbeat.

Anxiety or Stress

Women are always too much worried about having a safe delivery and a healthy baby. Moreover, during pregnancy most of the time they are thinking about the burden of chores that they will handle along with the baby’s errands. The cause of high heart rate could be anxiety.

Underlying Medical Causes

Anemia, thyroid problems, preeclampsia, and heart-related problems like pulmonary hypertension and coronary disease can bring changes to the normal heartbeat ratio. It is important to discuss all of the underlying medical conditions with your doctor.

The Routinely Lifestyle Factors

The intake of alcohol or drugs, excessive cigarette smoking, too much exercise, caffeine consumption, and junk food are the causes of heartbeat increase. When women become pregnant, they are recommended to leave all of the habits that could harm their fetus and their health.

Heart and Blood Flow Ups and downs

For the baby’s healthy growth, your heart needs more nutrients and oxygen to supply enough amount of blood to the fetus. Thereby, the heart pumps 20 to 50% extra blood than normal. There is an increase in the heart by 10 bpm to 20 BMP from the normal of 60 bpm to 80 bpm during pregnancy.

Change in the Size of Uterus

To carry the developing fetus, the size of the uterus increase naturally and it needs more blood for it. This makes the heart beat faster than usual as it needs to pump extra blood for the uterus as well.

Effects of the other Pregnancy Problems

The other side effects of pregnancy like hormonal changes and weight gain, and the side effects occur due to the medications throughout the pregnancy straining the circulatory system thereby, it usually causes an increase in the normal heartbeat.

Breast Changes

Mammary glands are involved in preparing the body for breastfeeding when you are pregnant and after the pregnancy as well. The tissue enlarges, and the breast size expands from the normal size, the blood flow in the mammary glands also increases. This process makes the heart pump the blood for the glands and hence increase the normal heart rate.

These causes are not life-threatening or harmful, thereby every woman should know before experiencing panic attacks while having an increase in the heart rate. Along with all of the health problems during pregnancy, this is another prominent problem women come across.