Why do they say to lie on your left side?

brokenbits · Apr 3rd, 2012, 12:38 PM

As the title really, just wondered why the medical buffs advise pregnant ladies to lie on their left side to increase blood flow to the baby? Why is it your left side that does this?

bumpycat · Apr 3rd, 2012, 12:43 PM

It's because the inferior vena cava taking blood back to the heart is on your right. If you are on your left side, that minimizes the pressure on that vein. Also your liver is on your right hand side - your liver processes your blood, removing things you don't want in there, and staying on your left ensures you don't reduce blood flow to that organ.

brokenbits · Apr 3rd, 2012, 12:53 PM

I have Situs Inversus Absolute, my organs are all on the opposite side to normal. So my heart is on my right and my liver is on my left. So do I have to lie on my right side?!

Tink84 · Apr 3rd, 2012, 14:41 PM

It's to do with blood circulation hun. Blood pumping away from your heart is being pumped with pressure while blood returning the the heart isn't.

Even when administering first aid you should always lie a pregnant woman on her left hand side

megangrohl · Apr 3rd, 2012, 14:44 PM

Exactly what bumpy cat said. It's bad for the placenta therefore bad for the baby. Also makes it harder for your heart to pump blood to the rest of your body if you had pressure on the inferior vena cava.

If you have been told that your inferior vena cava is on the left side then you should lay opposite of that.

Apr 3rd, 2012, 12:38 PM	#1
brokenbits Pregnant (Expecting) Active BnB Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Somerset Posts: 746	Why do they say to lie on your left side? As the title really, just wondered why the medical buffs advise pregnant ladies to lie on their left side to increase blood flow to the baby? Why is it your left side that does this?

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Apr 3rd, 2012, 12:43 PM	#2
bumpycat Pregnant (Expecting) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Posts: 1,687	It's because the inferior vena cava taking blood back to the heart is on your right. If you are on your left side, that minimizes the pressure on that vein. Also your liver is on your right hand side - your liver processes your blood, removing things you don't want in there, and staying on your left ensures you don't reduce blood flow to that organ.

Status: Offline

Apr 3rd, 2012, 12:53 PM	#3
brokenbits Pregnant (Expecting) Active BnB Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Somerset Posts: 746	I have Situs Inversus Absolute, my organs are all on the opposite side to normal. So my heart is on my right and my liver is on my left. So do I have to lie on my right side?!

Status: Offline

Apr 3rd, 2012, 14:41 PM	#4
Tink84 Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: North East Posts: 1,142	It's to do with blood circulation hun. Blood pumping away from your heart is being pumped with pressure while blood returning the the heart isn't. Even when administering first aid you should always lie a pregnant woman on her left hand side

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Apr 3rd, 2012, 14:44 PM	#5
megangrohl Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 6,314	Exactly what bumpy cat said. It's bad for the placenta therefore bad for the baby. Also makes it harder for your heart to pump blood to the rest of your body if you had pressure on the inferior vena cava. If you have been told that your inferior vena cava is on the left side then you should lay opposite of that.

Status: Offline

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