Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 Dec;25(Suppl 3):S189-S192.
doi: 10.5005/jp-journals-10071-24039.

Physiological Changes in Pregnancy

Gauri R Gangakhedkar  1 , Atul P Kulkarni  2
Affiliations

Physiological Changes in Pregnancy

Gauri R Gangakhedkar et al. Indian J Crit Care Med. 2021 Dec.

Abstract

Pregnancy is a dynamic process, which induces a multitude of anatomic, physiological, biochemical, and psychological changes. Physiological changes during pregnancy allow the body to meet the increased metabolic demands of the mother and fetus by maintaining adequate uteroplacental circulation, and ensure fetal growth and development. These changes begin early in the first trimester and are brought on by the increased circulating levels of progesterone and estrogen, which are produced by the ovary in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and thereafter by the placenta. While some of these cause a change in biochemical values, others may mimic symptoms of medical disease. For instance, cardiac changes such as sinus tachycardia, systolic heart murmurs, and cardiac enlargement could be interpreted as signs of heart disease. It is thus crucial, to differentiate between normal physiological changes and pathological changes, particularly for clinicians involved in the care of pregnant patient.

How to cite this article: Gangakhedkar GR, Kulkarni AP. Physiological Changes in Pregnancy. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021; 25(Suppl 3):S189-S192.

Keywords: Blood volume; Cardiac changes; Hemodynamic changes; Normal pregnancy; Physiological changes; Pregnant patient.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: None

References

    1. Dutta S. In: Obstetric anesthesia handbook. 5th ed. Dutta S, Kodali B, Segal S, editors. New York: Springer Science + Business Media; 2010. Maternal physiological changes. pp. 1–14.
    1. Talbot L, Maclennan K. Physiology of pregnancy. Anaesth Intensive Care Med. 2016;17(7):341–345. doi: 10.1016/j.mpaic.2016.04.010. - DOI
    1. Ciliberto C, Marx G, Johnston D. Physiological changes associated with pregnancy. Update Anaesth. 2008;24(2):72–76.
    1. Moore L, Pereira N. In: Maternal critical care: a multidisciplinary approach. Velde M, Scholefield H, Plante L, editors. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press; 2013. Physiological changes of pregnancy. pp. 107–119.
    1. Heidemann B, McClure J. Changes in maternal physiology during pregnancy. BJA CEPD Rev. 2003;3(3):65–68. doi: 10.1093/bjacepd/mkg065. - DOI

LinkOut - more resources