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Swollen Feet in the Third Trimester: Normal Pregnancy Symptom or Sign of Preeclampsia?

Swollen feet and ankles are common in the third trimester and most often come from the extra blood and fluid your body holds during pregnancy and the pressure of your growing uterus on the veins in your pelvis.

Swollen Feet in the Third Trimester: Normal Pregnancy Symptom or Sign of Preeclampsia?
Medical Conditionspregnancy swelling and preeclampsiapregnancy-guidance
Written By: DocAi Health Editorial Team
Last Updated: 2026-09-30
Medical Disclaimer: This article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship and is not a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment by a qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard or delay seeking professional medical advice because of something you have read here. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. Health information can change and this guidance is general and US-focused, so consult a licensed clinician in your own country about your specific situation.
Swollen feet and ankles are common in the third trimester and most often come from the extra blood and fluid your body holds during pregnancy and the pressure of your growing uterus on the veins in your pelvis. Swelling that builds gradually through the day, stays in your feet and ankles, and eases with rest is usually not caused by preeclampsia, but swelling alone cannot rule preeclampsia in or out. Preeclampsia is diagnosed by new high blood pressure after 20 weeks together with other findings, not by how your feet look. This article explains how normal swelling differs from preeclampsia warning signs and when to seek medical care.

What Causes Normal Swelling in the Third Trimester

By the third trimester, your body is carrying substantially more blood and fluid than before pregnancy, and ACOG notes that it makes more blood to support your baby's growth. That extra volume makes it more likely that fluid pools in your tissues, especially in your feet and ankles where gravity pulls it. Your growing uterus adds to the effect by pressing on the large vein that carries blood from your legs back to your heart, which slows the return flow. MedlinePlus says leg swelling is common in pregnancy and may increase as you get closer to giving birth, and it points to the uterus pressing on the veins.
Hormonal changes are thought to play a role too. Progesterone relaxes the walls of your veins, which can slow the return of blood from your legs. Several factors add up, and the mix differs from person to person. This kind of swelling, called edema, is a common third-trimester complaint, and gradual swelling that fits the pattern below is usually not a sign that anything is wrong.
Normal pregnancy edema often follows a recognizable pattern. It builds over the course of the day, is worse in hot weather or after standing for long stretches, affects both feet and ankles about equally, and improves after a night of sleep or a period with your feet up. Gradual, symmetric swelling limited to the feet and ankles that improves with rest is common in late pregnancy and is usually not caused by preeclampsia. However, swelling alone cannot rule preeclampsia in or out, so mention any change to your prenatal clinician.

What Preeclampsia Actually Is

Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication. ACOG describes it as high blood pressure together with other signs of organ injury, such as protein in the urine, a low platelet count, abnormal kidney or liver function, pain in the upper abdomen, fluid in the lungs, or a severe headache or vision changes. It usually develops after 20 weeks of pregnancy, often in the third trimester, and it can develop in a pregnancy with no prior history of high blood pressure. It can progress quickly, and left untreated it raises the risk of serious complications for you and your baby, including seizures (eclampsia), stroke, and problems with the placenta that affect your baby's growth and oxygen supply.
Swelling by itself does not diagnose preeclampsia. Diagnosis rests on new high blood pressure after 20 weeks of pregnancy together with protein in the urine and/or other signs that the condition is affecting organs such as the kidneys, liver, blood, lungs, or brain, so protein in the urine is not required. Some people with preeclampsia have swelling that looks just like ordinary pregnancy edema, and some have little or no visible swelling at all. Your care team diagnoses preeclampsia with blood pressure checks and lab work, not by looking at your feet.

How Swelling Linked to Preeclampsia Can Differ From Normal Swelling

A few features can help you notice a change worth reporting, though none of them replaces a blood pressure check, and swelling alone cannot rule preeclampsia in or out.
Location. Normal swelling stays mostly in your feet, ankles, and lower legs. Swelling tied to preeclampsia can spread upward and show up in your hands, your face, or around your eyes, sometimes making rings feel tight or your face look puffier. NICHD lists face and hand swelling among the possible symptoms of preeclampsia and notes that swollen feet are common during pregnancy and may not signal a problem.
Speed. Ordinary edema usually develops gradually. Swelling that appears suddenly, or that worsens quickly rather than easing with rest, is worth reporting to your provider.
Response to rest. Normal swelling improves when you lie down, raise your feet, or sleep on your side. Swelling that does not improve after a night's rest, or that is still severe first thing in the morning, is worth mentioning to your provider.
Company it keeps. Other symptoms and your blood pressure matter more than how the swelling looks. A headache that will not go away, vision changes, pain in the upper abdomen or under your right ribs, difficulty breathing, or sudden weight gain can be warning signs, but none of these alone confirms preeclampsia.
Swelling limited to one leg, especially with pain, warmth, or redness, can signal a blood clot rather than normal pregnancy swelling or preeclampsia, and needs its own prompt evaluation. See our guide on early signs of a blood clot in the leg for what to watch for.

Other Preeclampsia Warning Signs to Watch Alongside Swelling

Because swelling alone is not diagnostic, pay attention to the other symptoms that can come with preeclampsia. Our guide to the signs of preeclampsia every pregnant person should know covers them in more detail.
  • A blood pressure reading of 140/90 mmHg or higher after 20 weeks of pregnancy, especially if your pressure is not normally high; our guide on silent signs of high blood pressure covers what those numbers mean more generally
  • A headache that is different from your usual headaches, is severe, or does not ease with rest, fluids, or acetaminophen (Tylenol); our guide to headaches during pregnancy covers the more common causes
  • Vision changes such as blurring, seeing spots or flashing lights, or brief vision loss
  • Pain or tenderness in your upper right abdomen, under your right ribs, or in your right shoulder, sometimes mistaken for heartburn or gallbladder pain
  • Nausea or vomiting that starts new in the second half of pregnancy
  • Sudden or unusually rapid weight gain from fluid retention, especially with swelling of the face or hands or other warning signs
  • Shortness of breath that is new or getting worse
About the numbers: ACOG defines high blood pressure in pregnancy as a systolic (top) reading of 140 mmHg or higher and/or a diastolic (bottom) reading of 90 mmHg or higher after 20 weeks in someone whose pressure was normal before pregnancy. A high reading is often checked again to confirm it. A top number of 160 or higher, or a bottom number of 110 or higher, is the severe range and needs urgent medical evaluation.
In its most severe form, preeclampsia can also cause chest pain, a racing or pounding heartbeat, confusion, or sudden difficulty speaking. Any of these need emergency care right away rather than a call to schedule a visit.
One or two of these symptoms on their own do not confirm preeclampsia, but ACOG advises calling your ob-gyn right away if you have any of them, especially in the second half of pregnancy. Seek urgent medical evaluation for severe symptoms of preeclampsia even if you have little or no swelling, because preeclampsia can develop quietly. Mayo Clinic advises contacting your provider immediately or going to an emergency room for severe headaches, blurred vision or other visual disturbances, severe belly pain, or severe shortness of breath.
Separately, a noticeable decrease in your baby's usual movement should prompt immediate contact with your maternity team, whether or not you also have swelling. It is not specific to preeclampsia, but it deserves a prompt call either way.

A Quick Self-Check

If you are trying to decide whether your swelling needs attention right now, ask yourself these questions:
  • Did it build up gradually today, or did it appear suddenly overnight?
  • Is it limited to your feet and ankles, or has it reached your hands or face?
  • Does it get noticeably better after resting with your feet up?
  • Do you have a headache, vision changes, or pain under your right ribs along with it?
  • Has your weight gone up unusually fast?
Gradual swelling limited to the feet and ankles that improves with rest and comes with nothing else is common in late pregnancy, though it is still worth mentioning at your next visit. Sudden swelling, swelling in new places, or swelling paired with any of the symptoms above is worth a same-day call to your provider, and the emergency signs in the next section need care right away.

Who Is More Likely to Develop Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia can affect any pregnancy, but some factors raise the odds. ACOG lists preeclampsia in a past pregnancy, carrying more than one baby, chronic high blood pressure, kidney disease, diabetes, and autoimmune conditions such as lupus as higher-risk factors. Other factors that raise the odds include this being your first pregnancy, a family history of preeclampsia in your mother or sister, a body mass index over 30, being age 35 or older, and conceiving through in vitro fertilization.
Depending on your combination of risk factors, your clinician may recommend low-dose aspirin to help reduce the risk of preeclampsia. The ACOG practice advisory on low-dose aspirin recommends it for people at high risk or with more than one moderate-risk factor. Do not start aspirin during pregnancy unless your prenatal clinician recommends it.

What Your Prenatal Visits Are Checking For

ACOG says your blood pressure should be checked at every prenatal care visit. If your readings or symptoms raise concern for preeclampsia, your care team may order urine protein testing and blood tests, including your platelet count and liver and kidney function. Because preeclampsia can develop quietly, keeping your third-trimester appointments matters even when you feel fine.
If your prenatal clinician has recommended home blood pressure monitoring, follow the schedule they give you and keep a record of your readings so you can share them at your visits.

What Happens If Your Blood Pressure or Labs Come Back Abnormal

Blood pressure changes often during the day, so if it is high at a visit your provider may recheck it, and a single high reading does not diagnose preeclampsia. If it stays high, the urine and blood tests described above help show whether other organs are affected, and the results guide what happens next.
According to ACOG, preeclampsia without severe features (sometimes called mild preeclampsia) may be managed at home with close monitoring or in the hospital. Monitoring can include visits once or twice a week, home blood pressure checks, and daily kick counts, and MedlinePlus adds that tests such as an ultrasound and a non-stress test help check on your baby. ACOG says delivery may be discussed at 37 weeks.
Preeclampsia with severe features is often treated in the hospital, with medicine to lower blood pressure and medicine, such as magnesium sulfate, to help prevent seizures. Delivery is the definitive treatment for preeclampsia, although symptoms and blood pressure may still need treatment and close monitoring before and after delivery, so your care team weighs how far along you are against how severe your condition is to decide the safest timing for birth.

HELLP Syndrome: A Related but Separate Emergency

A small number of people with preeclampsia develop HELLP syndrome, named for its lab findings: hemolysis, which is the breakdown of red blood cells, high liver enzyme levels, and low platelets. ACOG calls HELLP syndrome a medical emergency. NICHD notes that it can occur without high blood pressure or protein in the urine and is sometimes the first sign, and it can cause abdominal pain (especially in the upper right area), nausea, vomiting, headache, or extreme fatigue. Because it can progress fast and carries serious risks for you and your baby, any of the emergency signs below deserve immediate evaluation rather than a wait-and-see approach.

Easing Normal Swelling at Home

For swelling that fits the ordinary pattern, a few habits can make it more comfortable, and MedlinePlus lists several of them:
  • Rest with your feet raised above the level of your belly a few times a day
  • Rest on your left side when you can do it comfortably, which takes pressure off the vein returning blood from your legs
  • Wear support pantyhose or compression stockings if your provider says they are right for you
  • Drink water regularly through the day; cutting back on fluids is not a way to reduce swelling
  • Limit long stretches of standing or sitting still, and take short walks to keep circulation moving
  • Cut back on added salt in packaged and restaurant food, without restricting salt to an extreme
These steps do not treat preeclampsia. If your swelling arrives with any of the warning signs above, call your provider rather than waiting to see if home care helps first.

When to Seek Medical Care

When to Seek Urgent or Emergency Care

The signs below point to preeclampsia becoming severe or to eclampsia, the seizure form of the condition, both of which can develop quickly and need immediate evaluation. Seek urgent medical evaluation for severe symptoms of preeclampsia even if you have little or no swelling. This guidance is in addition to, not a replacement for, the general disclaimer above.

Emergency, call 911 or go to the emergency room immediately if:

  • A seizure, or any sudden loss of consciousness
  • A severe headache that will not go away, or new vision changes such as blurred vision, seeing spots, flashing lights, or brief vision loss
  • Severe belly pain, especially in your upper right abdomen or under your right ribs
  • Sudden trouble breathing, chest pain, or a pounding heartbeat that does not slow down
  • Sudden, severe swelling of your face or hands together with a headache or vision changes
  • Confusion, trouble speaking, or a sudden change in how alert you feel
  • A blood pressure reading in the severe range (top number 160 or higher, or bottom number 110 or higher) that is still that high when you recheck it after resting, especially with a headache, vision changes, or pain in your upper belly

See a doctor soon (same-day or next available appointment) if:

  • A blood pressure reading of 140/90 mmHg or higher after 20 weeks of pregnancy, at home or at a visit (tell your obstetric provider the same day; they may recheck it)
  • Swelling that appears suddenly or spreads to your hands or face, without the emergency symptoms above
  • Swelling that does not improve after a full night's rest with your feet up
  • Sudden or unusually rapid weight gain from fluid retention
  • A new headache that is mild but will not go away, or nausea and vomiting that starts new in the second half of pregnancy
  • A noticeable decrease in your baby's usual movement, whether or not you have swelling (contact your maternity team right away)
  • Swelling, pain, warmth, or redness in one leg only; get checked the same day (call 911 instead if you also have sudden trouble breathing or chest pain)
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it normal to have swollen feet every day in the third trimester?

Yes. Daily swelling in your feet and ankles is common in the third trimester and usually comes from the extra blood volume and fluid your body holds during pregnancy. If it builds gradually through the day, affects both feet evenly, and improves after resting with your feet up, it is usually not a warning sign on its own, although swelling alone cannot rule preeclampsia in or out.

Can you have preeclampsia without any swelling?

Yes. Preeclampsia is diagnosed by blood pressure and lab findings, not by swelling, and some people with the condition have little or no visible swelling at all. ACOG notes that preeclampsia can develop quietly, without you being aware of it. This is why prenatal visits check your blood pressure, and further tests follow when readings or symptoms raise concern.

What does preeclampsia swelling in the face look like?

Face and hand swelling from preeclampsia can show up as visible puffiness around your eyes, cheeks that look fuller than usual in the mirror or in recent photos, or rings that suddenly stop fitting. ACOG lists swelling of the face or hands among the symptoms of preeclampsia, so report it to your provider.

Can sudden weight gain be a sign of preeclampsia?

It can be. ACOG lists sudden weight gain among the symptoms of preeclampsia, and it may reflect fluid retention, especially when it comes with swelling of the face or hands or other warning signs. There is no single number that diagnoses the condition, and normal pregnancy weight gain varies, so tell your provider about any sudden or unusually rapid jump.

Does resting with my feet up help tell normal swelling from preeclampsia?

It can be one clue, but it is not a test. Ordinary pregnancy swelling often eases when you rest with your feet raised or after a night's sleep, while swelling that stays just as severe despite rest is worth reporting to your provider. Because preeclampsia can also cause ordinary-looking swelling, blood pressure checks and lab tests are what tell the two apart, so keep your prenatal appointments.

What blood pressure reading counts as high during pregnancy?

ACOG defines high blood pressure in pregnancy as 140/90 mmHg or higher after 20 weeks, and a high reading is often checked again to confirm it. A top number of 160 or higher, or a bottom number of 110 or higher, is the severe range and needs urgent medical evaluation. If you check your blood pressure at home, contact your obstetric provider the same day for a reading in the first range and right away for the second.

Can preeclampsia develop after 37 weeks or even after delivery?

Yes. Preeclampsia can develop anytime after 20 weeks, including in the final weeks before your due date. ACOG says postpartum preeclampsia most often happens within a few days after delivery but can occur up to six weeks later. New swelling, headache, or vision changes after birth deserve the same prompt attention as during pregnancy.
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