- With Mayo Clinic obstetrician and medical editor-in-chief
Roger W. Harms, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Roger W. Harms, M.D.
Roger W. Harms, M.D.
"Nothing helps people stay healthy more than the power of real knowledge about health." — Dr. Roger Harms
As medical editor-in-chief, Dr. Roger Harms is excited about the potential for MayoClinic.com to help educate people about their health and provide them the tools and information to live healthier lives.
The Auburn, Neb., native has been with Mayo Clinic since 1981 and is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology. Dr. Harms is a consultant and associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and his specialty areas include office gynecology, high-risk obstetrics and obstetrical ultrasound.
From 2002 to 2007, Dr. Harms was director for education for Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dr. Harms was the 1988 Mayo Medical School Teacher of the Year and served as associate dean for student affairs and academic affairs before taking this leadership role. He is the co-author of the "Mayo Clinic Model of Education." In 2008, Dr. Harms was presented the Distinguished Educator Award, Mayo Clinic, Rochester.
Dr. Harms is vice chair of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and medical editor of the Pregnancy section on this Web site. In addition, Dr. Harms is editor-in-chief of the "Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy" book, a month-by-month guide to everything a woman needs to know about having a baby.
"My medical education experience has grown out of a love of teaching, and that is what this site is about," Dr. Harms says. "If any visitor to this site makes a more informed and thus more comfortable decision about his or her health because of the information we provide, we are successful."
Healthy pregnancy (12)
- Antibiotics and pregnancy: What's safe?
- Seasonal flu shot in pregnancy: Is it safe?
- Ankle swelling during pregnancy: Is it a concern?
- see all in Healthy pregnancy
First trimester (1)
- Birth control pills: Harmful in early pregnancy?
Second trimester (1)
- Fundal height: An accurate indicator of fetal growth?
Pregnancy problems (7)
- Early miscarriage: Is stress a factor?
- Hemorrhoids during pregnancy: What's the best treatment?
- Low amniotic fluid: Should I worry?
- see all in Pregnancy problems
Mayo Clinic Health Manager
Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.
Get Started
About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Question
Ankle swelling during pregnancy: Is it a concern?
What causes ankle swelling during pregnancy — and what can I do about it?
Answer
from Roger W. Harms, M.D.
Various factors may contribute to foot and ankle swelling during pregnancy. For starters, your body simply produces and retains more fluid during pregnancy. Also, your growing uterus puts pressure on your veins, which impairs return of blood to your heart. In turn, this leads to swelling in the legs, ankles and feet.
Foot and ankle swelling during pregnancy is common and almost always goes away after delivery. In the meantime, it may help to:
- Stay off your feet. Avoid standing or sitting with your feet on the floor for long periods. Don't cross your legs. When you can, sit with your feet up and occasionally rotate your feet at the ankles. Better yet, lie down with your legs elevated.
- Wear loosefitting clothing. Avoid tight cuffs or jewelry around your ankles and wrists.
- Sleep on your side. It also may help to elevate your legs slightly with pillows.
- Stay cool. Heat can aggravate swelling during pregnancy. It might be soothing to apply cold-water compresses to swollen areas.
- Soak in a large tub or pool. The weight of the water pressing against your body may help reduce swelling.
- Include physical activity in your daily routine. Take daily walks, ride a stationary bike or swim laps in a pool.
Although mild foot and ankle swelling during pregnancy is normal, extreme swelling during pregnancy can be a red flag. Contact your health care provider if you have:
- Severe or sudden swelling
- Swelling in only one leg
Severe or sudden swelling could be a sign of a serious condition called preeclampsia. Other signs and symptoms of preeclampsia include severe headaches, blurred vision and rapid weight gain. Swelling in only one leg — especially if it's accompanied by pain or tenderness in the calf or thigh — could indicate a blood clot. Both conditions warrant prompt evaluation and treatment.
Next questionHair dye and pregnancy: A concern?
- Bamigboye AA, et al. Interventions for varicose veins and leg oedema in pregnancy. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2007:CD001066.
- Swelling. March of Dimes. http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/159_16190.asp. Accessed June 2, 2009.
- High blood pressure during pregnancy. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp034.cfm. Accessed June 2, 2009.
- Exercise and comfort. In: Simkin PT, et al. Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn: The Complete Guide. Minnetonka, Minn.: Meadowbrook Press; 2001:123.
