Causes of swelling in hands and feet during pregnancy

Pregnancy makes the body retain more fluid, and the growing womb can slow blood return from the legs. Fluid then settles in dependent areas, particularly after standing, sitting or being in hot weather. Hands may also feel puffy, and rings can become tight.

Ordinary pregnancy oedema usually develops gradually, affects both feet or ankles and is more noticeable later in the day. It may ease after resting with the legs raised. A sudden increase, especially involving the face and hands, can occur when pre-eclampsia presents with swelling and raised blood pressure.

Swelling confined to one leg, particularly with calf pain, warmth or redness, has a different pattern and needs assessment for a blood clot. Breathlessness or chest pain alongside limb swelling is an emergency. Injury, infection, vein problems and some medicines can also contribute, so tell your clinician about asymmetry and any recent changes.

Rest with your feet supported, change position regularly and take comfortable walks or perform gentle ankle movements if your maternity clinician has not restricted activity. Choose roomy shoes and socks that do not pinch. Remove rings before hand swelling traps them, and keep drinking normally unless your care team has given different instructions.

Notice whether the swelling is gradual or sudden, on both sides or one, and whether it improves with rest. Antenatal blood-pressure and urine checks help identify pre-eclampsia, which cannot be ruled out by how the swelling looks. Do not start water tablets or herbal diuretics on your own.

Contact your maternity unit immediately for sudden swelling of the hands, face or feet, particularly with a severe headache, blurred vision or flashing lights, pain below the ribs, nausea, vomiting or a general feeling of being very unwell. These are warning signs that require a blood-pressure check and clinical assessment.

Seek urgent help for one-sided leg swelling with pain, redness or warmth. Call emergency services for chest pain, sudden breathlessness, coughing blood, collapse or severe difficulty breathing. Urgency comes from these red flags, regardless of how much swelling is visible.

Ask whether your swelling pattern fits ordinary oedema, when your blood pressure and urine should be checked again, and which symptoms require an immediate call. If only one limb is affected, ask whether assessment for a clot or infection is needed.