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A. Expected physical changes
3) Cardiovascular
(a) Blood volume and heart rate increase
throughout pregnancy.
(b) Blood pressure decreases slightly during first
two trimesters of pregnancy; increases in third trimester.
(c) Edema occurs because the growing uterus makes blood
flow from extremities more difficult. There is a tendency for edema especially
in the extremities (which can ache); blood stagnation; varicose veins,
hemorrhoids; and postural hypotension (especially if lying on back and
then rising quickly), which can make pregnant woman dizzy, clammy, and
feel slightly faint. Therefore, she should rise slowly.
(d) Red blood cells (RBC) increase in number with pregnancy,
but if amount of iron in blood (the part of blood that carries the oxygen
to the cells) does not increase (because mother does not take her prenatal
vitamins and iron), then the needed increase of oxygen to tissues and the
baby does not occur.
(e) White blood cells ([WBCs] infection fighters)
increase in number.
(f) The substances that stop bleeding (otherwise
known as blood clotting factors), increase in amount.
(g) There is an increased chance of a venous thrombosis
(a blood clot) caused by edema, increased RBCs, WBCs, and clotting factors.
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