Short of breath

[Lizzy1998]

Hi,
I’m currently 16 weeks pregnant and have recently been experiencing shortness of breath. I can literally be getting up just to get a drink or nip to the toilet and I’m so out of breath I have to sit and rest.
I cannot climb stairs without issues or even walk to work so I have been taking taxis.
I have tried various times to call my midwife this morning and cannot get through. I rang the maternity assessment unit and they said to go to urgent care which I don’t been comfortable in doing as I don’t want to waste anybody’s time.
Any advice would be appreciated massively

I had this a lot from about 6 weeks pregnant, partly due to pregnancy rhinitis which stuffed up my nose but was still very out of breath going up stairs etc. I never asked about it but it did ease as pregnancy progressed which was odd because you'd think as baby got bigger it would get worse!

I had this and it turned out I was anaemic. Had to have an iron transfusion in the end because the midwives didn't tell me my blood results or put me on iron tablets...my ferritin levels got very low.

I was wondering if it could be iron too - I don’t have blood tests until the 26th which I don’t think I can cope with the shortness of breath until.
Is it best to go into hospital like they suggested? I really don’t want to be a time waster!

You do need to get this checked out, but to reassure you I had this and it was entirely normal and just due to progesterone levels. No treatment required. It’s very common if you google breathlessness and progesterone in early pregnancy.

So, it’s probably fine but it could be something else so needs assessing first.

I'm anaemic- 21weeks and so out of breath! My levels were low- 98 and I was put on ferrous sulphate. Had bloods retested and they were even lower! 92!

So I started ferrous fumerate today to see if they help more!

Out of breath and I have heart palpitations too

It's completely normal. I struggled to have even a long conversation/Teams meeting when pregnant with twins

If recently had this although I'm nearly 37 weeks and last week a blood test showed low iron and I know this can be a symptom.
Literally walking up the stairs I am out of breath!
Otherwise normally fit and healthy!