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Trouble breathing

  • You feel short of breath suddenly or over time, as if you can’t breathe deeply enough to get enough air in your lungs
  • Your throat and/or chest feel tight
  • You have trouble breathing when you’re laying down flat, such as needing to prop your head up with pillows to sleep
More Information

Trouble breathing is especially worrisome if:

  • You have high blood pressure or swelling in other parts of your body
  • It happens suddenly, sometimes after you’ve had swelling in one of your thighs, lower legs, or arms
  • It happens at or after 16-20 weeks of your pregnancy or in the first few weeks after you give birth (vaginally or by c-section)
  • You also have chest or back pain, headache, swelling, changes in your vision, dizziness, a fast heartbeat, or skipped heartbeats

Trouble breathing may be a warning sign of other problems, such as:

  • Preeclampsia – a type of high blood pressure that happens during pregnancy
  • Pulmonary embolism – when your blood carries a blood clot or other substance to your lungs, making it harder for you to breathe
  • Infection in the lungs
  • A heart problem that’s getting worse