High heels during pregnancy; Good or Bad?

Feeling fashionable and beautiful during pregnancy is of paramount importance. Many women prefer to wear heels throughout their pregnancy, but doctors strictly advice against doing so and for some good reason too!

When asked of this big question to Dr. Munjaal V Kapadia, he insisted on the following;

• It isn’t advisable to wear high heels (even tall platform shoes) in pregnancy for a number of reasons.
• As your belly grows, your center of gravity shifts, making you unstable and prone to falling.
• Since most joints, especially the pelvis are relaxed due to pregnancy hormones, wearing heels puts a lot of pressure on the knees, ankles and lower back. Most women who continue to wear high heels during pregnancy usually end up complaining of lower backache.
• Swelling of the feet and ankles due to salt retention is very common, making it hard to squeeze your feet into those sexy heels.
• Giddiness and blackouts are common, usually due to a sudden, temporary fall in blood pressure. You don’t want to end up trying to balance yourself while wearing high heels.
• Even if you do end up wearing heels, on those soon-to-be-rare date nights, throw in a pair of flats in your bag or in the car. Just in case.

So it’s not that the baby’s development will be harmed if the mother wears heels throughout her pregnancy, but pregnant women are prone to tripping and falling. To avoid such mishaps it is advisable that you might as well shelve those favorite pair of heels as you get further along in your pregnancy.

Dr. Munjaal V Kapadia, [M.S. (ObGyn), D.A.E.S (Germany), D.U.E. (France)] is the Director of Namaha Super Specialty Hospital for Women, Mumbai & Ramaben Hospital, Navsari. Follow him on @ScissorTongue on twitter