Snoring is often associated with someone who is overweight, but this is not always the case. Studies reveal that there is an increase in snoring during pregnancy. This is also more common in woman who put on more than the ideal amount of weight during their pregnancy. However, it is reported that 25% of pregnant woman experience a certain amount of snoring during their third trimester. Most women find that sleeping on their side, which is found to be more comfortable, reduces the snoring.

When you are pregnant, the amount of blood in your body increases to help nourish the baby, thus leading to your blood vessels expanding. Your nasal membranes can also swell, causing an obstruction, which can cause you to snore the same way when you have a cold. Some people think that the reason for the increase in snoring in pregnant women is due to the increase in production of oestrogen. It is thought that the increase in oestrogen relaxes the neck muscles. This together with the fats around the neck area can lead to snoring.

Snoring during pregnancy can also be a warning sign of something more serious like pre-eclampsia. This condition includes swelling of the limbs, protein in the urine and hypertension. A pregnant woman suffering from pre-eclampsia could show some or all of the following symptoms: blurred vision, sleepiness during the daytime, vomiting, headaches and abnormalities in liver function. If you think you might be suffering from pre-eclampsia, you should visit your doctor.

If your snoring is excessive, it might be a sign of sleep apnoea. If you do suffer from sleep apnoea, your breathing can pause for about 10 minutes, leaving you short of oxygen. This will complicate pre-eclampsia even more. Any amount of oxygen deprivation can lead to problems. If you are pregnant, your health is vital to the development of your baby.

To control your snoring, you should not drink alcohol, avoid tobacco and do not take sleeping pills. You should not be using any of these when you are pregnant anyway. All of these products can cause your airway to close. Maintaining a healthy weight throughout your pregnancy might help in preventing you from snoring.