Respiratory disease in pregnancy

Breathlessness is a common pregnancy symptom, which nonetheless always merits careful history taking and consideration of the wide range of possible underlying causes. The physiological changes in respiration during pregnancy include an increase in minute ventilation, primarily due to increased tidal volume. The partial pressure of oxygen in the maternal blood is slightly higher than outside of pregnancy and that of carbon dioxide slightly lower. It is important to be alert to these expected parameters, and maintain a high index of suspicion where  borderline partial pressures are noted in a pregnant woman.
Source: Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine - Category: OBGYN Authors: Tags: Review Source Type: research