Dizziness During Pregnancy

By trimester

Weeks 1–13

1st trimester

In the first trimester, dizziness is often tied to your blood vessels relaxing and your blood pressure running a little lower while your body adjusts. If nausea has you skipping meals, dips in blood sugar can add to that lightheaded feeling, so small, frequent snacks and standing up slowly both help.

Weeks 14–27

2nd trimester

In the second trimester, quick position changes, like popping up off the couch, can still bring on a few dizzy seconds while your circulation catches up. This is also when low iron becomes more common as your blood volume expands, so mention any dizziness at your prenatal visit so your provider can check your iron levels along with your blood pressure.

Weeks 28–birth

3rd trimester

In the third trimester, lying flat on your back is the most common trigger, since your growing uterus can press on the vein returning blood to your heart. Resting and sleeping on your left side, and rolling that way if you feel woozy, usually brings quick relief.

What does the evidence show for dizziness?

• Dizziness that strikes when you lie flat on your back gets more common in the second half of pregnancy, because your growing uterus can press on the large vein carrying blood back to your heart. 1
• Some women's blood pressure drops just as much when lying on their back without them feeling dizzy at all, which is one reason your provider checks blood pressure in more than one position. 2
• Rolling onto your left side is the quickest way to feel better, and imaging studies show it works by taking pressure off that compressed vein and restoring normal blood flow right away. 3
• A spinning, room-tilting kind of dizziness is usually a different problem than the lightheaded kind, since pregnancy hormones can affect the inner ear and flare up conditions like vertigo or vestibular migraine. 4
• Dizziness that shows up together with a severe headache, vision changes, or confusion is a different situation and is flagged as a possible warning sign of a blood pressure problem that needs same-day medical attention. 5
• Benign vasovagal fainting follows situations such as prolonged standing, heat, crowds, pain, or extreme fatigue and gives prodromal warning like blurred vision, sweating, nausea, dizziness, and weakness, while syncope during exertion or while supine, or syncope with chest pain, palpitations, or dyspnea, marks the higher-risk pattern that needs workup. 6

When should I call my provider about dizziness?

Everyday pregnancy dizziness has a set-up and a warning: standing too long, a hot or crowded room, a missed meal, getting up too fast, with a few seconds of blurred vision, sweating, or nausea before it peaks. The pattern to report urgently is the opposite one. Call if you pass out or nearly pass out with no warning at all, if it happens during exertion or while you are lying flat, or if it arrives with chest pain, a pounding heartbeat, or breathlessness. Severe anemia or significant fluid loss is also named as a reason to work dizziness up rather than write it off as normal. None of these lists replace your own judgment: if this symptom worries you, that on its own is enough reason to check in with your healthcare provider.