# lymph nodes???



## BrEeZeY

popping over from 1st tri... has anyone had swollen lymph nodes and baby developed fine???


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## Rachel_C

Swollen lymph nodes are a perfectly normal part of the body's immune response. Lots of people complain of swollen and/or sore lymph nodes but then worry that they don't develop an illness (e.g. a cold) so they think there must be something wrong. That is, in fact, a pretty good sign - it means that your lymphatic system is working well to get rid of whatever bug you've picked up so you never develop any actual symptoms. The immune system is weakened in pregnancy so it's pretty normal to notice swollen glands more often or for longer than usual, or for the body not to be able to fight off things it normally would deal with easily (like colds). 

I'm not sure exactly what you're worried about. Have you, by any chance, been Googling swollen lymph nodes and come across some scary stuff? You can mostly ignore the things you find on Google! If you're worried, speak to your GP but chances are you have nothing to worry about. The swollen nodes on their own are rarely anything to worry about but if you have other symptoms of being ill that worry you, do go to the doctor. If you have a particular area of lymph nodes that are unusually swollen and that stay raised for a long time, speak to a doctor but remember that they can take a while to go down and you might not feel the illness they're fighting off. 

Hope that helps.

ETA - The swollen nodes on their own wouldn't normally be any danger to the baby, if that's what you're thinking. If you were ill with something that could damage that baby, that could be a concern but the nodes themselves don't mean much.


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## BrEeZeY

well my dr noticed they are swollen today during my appointment and he was worried & said some illness of the nodes can cause developmental issues in a babies brain during pregnancy and has me getting the U/S on monday


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## Rachel_C

How big are the nodes exactly? It sounds like your doctor is just being cautious unless you have other symtoms? The swollen nodes on their own don't really mean anything - just that your immune system is working - so try not to worry about it. I'm pretty aware of what my lymph nodes are doing due to having lymphoma (cancer of the lymphatic system) a few years ago and it's amazing how often they swell up and then go away again after a week or so when you're watching out for them and there's nothing wrong at all! You don't normally notice as they just get on with their job.


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