Respiratory system Flashcards
What sorts of changes happen in the respiratory system during pregnancy?
anatomical and functional changes
What happens to the diaghragm during pregnancy and what does this cause
rises by as much as 4cm which prevents normal expansion of the lungs
increases its outward expansion to compensate
What happens to the diameter of the rib cage during pregnancy?
Increase by about 2cm
What does . Increased progesterone levels during pregnancy allow the ligaments of the rib cage to do?
relax
What does the upper respiratory tract becomes
increasingly vascularised which can cause epistaxis.
What might The Eustachian tubes do?
swell due to increased vascularisation and lead to impaired hearing or earaches.
What can all these changes lead to a feeling of?
shortness of breath
What does increased progesterone do to the respiratory system?
increases its rate by 2 breaths per minute by 3rd trimester
What increases as a result of increased progesterone.
tidal volume
How much more air does a pregnant woman breath than not pregnant
30-40%
How is minute volume effected by pregnancy
increased by up to 50% by end of pregnancy
What does increased minute volume result in?
in slight hyperventilation which decreases pCO2 in maternal blood which facilitates CO2 diffusion from the foetal to the maternal blood.
