Advantage of sleeping in left lateral position in pregnancy

Usually doctors will advise to sleep in left lateral position during pregnancy.
Especially in advanced gestational age.
The reasons are :
- With progression of the pregnancy, uterus size will increase and it will become abdominal organ.
And it exerts pressure on underlying main abdominal blood vessels like aorta and inferior venacava.
This can lead to decreased blood supply to fetal circulation. Decreased placental perfusion can lead to decreased nutrients supply to the fetus, reduced oxygen supply to fetus, hypoxia etc.

- Pressure on blood vessels can also lead to maternal complications like pedal edema, raised blood pressure etc.

- Usually uterus will be in dextro rotated position.
So by sleeping in left lateral position, uterus can be mobilized from blood vessels.
So better to sleep in left lateral position as per as possible.
But woman can change the position during sleeping.
Changing the position for shorter periods usually won't affect the blood supply much.


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