Dizziness and feeling faint in pregnancy: what helps and when to call

Many people feel dizzy or faint at some point in pregnancy. Here’s what the NHS says helps, and when to call your midwife, maternity unit or 999.

Why it happens

The NHS says you may feel faint while you’re pregnant, and that this is usually because of hormonal changes. Fainting happens when your brain isn’t getting enough blood, and so not enough oxygen.

The NHS says you’re most likely to feel faint if you stand up too quickly from a chair or out of a bath. It can also happen when you’re lying on your back, especially as your bump gets bigger.

What helps

Get up slowly after sitting or lying down.
If you feel faint while you’re standing, find a seat quickly and the faintness should pass. If it doesn’t, lie down on your side.
If you feel faint while you’re lying on your back, turn onto your side.
Eat small, regular meals and drink plenty of water. This tip comes from NHS Healthier Together guidance.

The NHS says it’s better not to lie flat on your back in later pregnancy or during labour, and to avoid going to sleep on your back after 28 weeks, because this has been linked to a higher risk of stillbirth. See sleeping position in pregnancy.

If you faint

The NHS says that if someone who is pregnant faints, especially if they’re more than 28 weeks, the person helping should lay them on their side rather than on their back. It says most people who faint wake up within 30 seconds.

NHS Healthier Together says it’s normal to feel confused and weak for about 20 to 30 minutes after fainting. Rest, and don’t drive yourself home.

The NHS says that if you’ve fainted, it’s probably nothing serious, but it’s important to get checked by a GP to find out what might have caused it. Let your midwife know too.

When to call

Call your midwife or maternity unit straight away if you’ve fainted and:

you fell onto your bump
your baby has been moving less since you fainted
you take medicine for high blood pressure

This list comes from NHS Healthier Together guidance. If your baby’s movements slow down or change at any time, call your midwife or maternity unit straight away. See your baby’s movements in pregnancy.

Call 999 if you, or someone who has fainted:

isn’t breathing
can’t be woken up within 1 minute
hasn’t fully recovered, or has difficulty with speech or movement
has chest pain, or a pounding, fluttering or irregular heartbeat
has seriously hurt themselves before or after fainting
is shaking or jerking, which can be a seizure or fit
fainted while exercising or while lying down

The NHS says not to drive yourself to A&E.

In early pregnancy, call 999 or go to A&E straight away if you feel very dizzy or faint together with a sharp, sudden and intense pain in your tummy, feeling sick or looking very pale. NHS 111 Wales says these can be signs of a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. See ectopic pregnancy.

Questions people ask

Why do I feel dizzy when I get out of the bath?

The NHS says you’re most likely to feel faint if you stand up too quickly from a chair or out of a bath. Get up slowly.

Why do I feel faint lying on my back?

The NHS says it’s better not to lie flat on your back in later pregnancy or during labour. If you feel faint lying on your back, turn onto your side.

Do I need to see someone if I fainted but feel fine now?

Yes. The NHS says it’s probably nothing serious, but it’s important to get checked by a GP to find out what caused it. Let your midwife know too.

Is feeling dizzy normal later in pregnancy?

NHS Best Start in Life lists dizziness among the symptoms you may have in the second and third trimesters. Use the advice above on when to call.