Why Has Bigger Nose During Pregnancy?

Are you also experiencing stranger and weirder symptoms and wondering if they are also aftermaths of pregnancy? You might be right.

Although not common, many women report that they had very strange changes in their bodies – such as larger feet, wider eyelids, hair growth on the belly – during pregnancy. One such strange symptom is a wider nose or bigger nose during pregnancy.

Why Does the Nose Appear Bigger During Pregnancy?

Interestingly, it is not just the nose that is growing bigger nose during pregnancy,  it is your whole body and face. That is right, your cheeks and even your eyelids are growing bigger. So are your feet and belly and arms.

However, since the nose is a prominent feature on your face, its growth is more noticeable, that is all. The overall increase in the size of different body parts can be attributed to the changes in the hormones that happen during pregnancy.

Your progesterone and estrogen levels increase during pregnancy, and this increase influences a lot of changes in your body, some good (pregnancy face glow and lustrous hair!) and some not so good. In the case of your nose specifically, a bigger nose during pregnancy is what happens:

• An increase in the level of estrogen increases the flow of blood into your mucus membranes.
• The mucus membrane is just beneath the nose. So an increased blood flow to mucus membranes increases the overall blood flow into your nose.
• This expands various membranes in the nose, which in turn expands the muscles in the nose.
• Your nose is, as you know, made with soft bones. This means that the expanded size of the muscles and membranes can easily influence the shape of the nose. And the nose consequently appears wider or bigger.
• Some people also see the color of the nose changing (to a redder shade). This is because the changing hormone levels can also influence the pigmentation in the skin.

Will the Nose Get Back to its Normal Size After Pregnancy?

Thankfully, like most of the changes inflicted by pregnancy, the changes in the size and shape of your bigger nose during pregnancy are also temporary. As we mentioned before, the changes in your body and facial features are brought on by the changes in the hormonal makeup of your body.

Once you deliver, these hormonal changes go back to the level it was before pregnancy. Most women, who have noticed their nose becoming bigger or wider nose during pregnancy, report that their nose went back to the normal size in about a month for 40 days after delivery.

So, fortunately, the change is temporary. And in any case, the size of your nose is not something the onlookers will notice very fast. You look at your face every day, and that is the only reason you notice these changes.

Bigger Nose During Pregnancy – Gender Prediction

When you are pregnant, everyone around you is ready to share weird stories and give their expert opinions, even if you show no interest in hearing them! Even the gender of your little baby is discussed openly.

For a very long time, people have been trying to guess babies’ gender, even before the baby is ready to be born. There are so many old wives’ tales going around that claim to predict your baby’s gender.

One such tale is about the nose getting bigger. So if you are suddenly becoming more conscious of your nose and feel that it is looking a little bit bigger nose during pregnancy than before, then we have something interesting to share. As per the old wives club, this is happening to you because you will be having a boy!

But then this is just a myth. What holds absolutely true is that every pregnant woman has a 50% chance of having a boy, and a 50% chance of having a girl, irrespective of the strange pregnancy symptoms.

When to Consult a Doctor?

Usually, a bigger nose during pregnancy is quite normal, and you need not worry about it. But, if you notice any swelling anywhere else in your bodies such as your face, hands, or feet, you should consult with a doctor.

If you notice any severe or sudden swelling, it can be caused because of high blood pressure. And preeclampsia coupled with water retention is not favorable for pregnancy, so it is best that you meet a doctor without delay.

The Takeaway

So, the good news is that you do not have to worry about the growing size of the nose or any of the tales associated with it. You are not transforming to Pinocchio, do not be anxious and relax.

You cannot do anything about the changes that happen to your body during pregnancy.  Perhaps, the only thing you can do is not to be anxious about it and to enjoy it even.

After the baby is born, you will have no time to worry about the size of your nose. And by the time you find time and patience to notice the changes to your face, everything would have become back to normal.

Read Also: Do Nosebleeds During Pregnancy Affect The Baby?