Pregnant woman feels short of breath nearing her due date

Patient's question:

Pregnant woman nearing her due date feeling short of breath

Doctor's answer:

Do you feel your abdomen tightening or hardening? Abdominal tightening or hardening is a sign of contractions, which is normal. Sometimes if the baby is moving very actively, it could be a sign of oxygen deprivation. It is recommended that you have a fetal heart monitoring test. This can help determine if the baby is safe inside the womb and whether there are any contractions.