It is normal for a woman to start snoring during pregnancy. It is normal and this usually starts in the second trimester of pregnancy, disappearing after the baby is born.
The woman may start to snore during pregnancy due to the increase in progesterone which can lead to swelling of the airways, which partially block the air passage. This swelling of the airways can cause sleep apnea, which is characterized by loud snoring and short periods of breathing interruption during sleep, but although snoring affects almost half of pregnant women, it tends to disappear after delivery.
What to do to not snore in pregnancy
Some guidelines for what you can do to stop snoring during pregnancy are:
- Sleeping on your side and not on your back, as this facilitates the passage of air and also improves the baby's oxygenation; Use nasal strips or dilators or anti-snoring to dilate the nose and facilitate breathing; Use anti-snoring pads, which support the head better, leaving the airways freer; do not consume alcoholic beverages and do not smoke.
In the most severe cases when snoring disrupts the woman's or couple's sleep, it is possible to use nasal CPAP which is a device that throws fresh air into the person's nostrils and through the generated air pressure it is able to unblock the airways, improving the air passage, thus decreasing the sounds during sleep. It is possible to rent this device in some specialized stores, if you want to talk to your doctor.
