"During pregnancy, you obviously expect your stomach to get bigger. To see your feet and ankles increasing in size, however, might be a surprise. Turns out it's actually extremely common to experience swelling in those areas during normal pregnancy, especially in women who have had several children.

In fact, the most common reason for swelling is 'normal response to pregnancy' in the absence of other serious conditions," says Dr. Robert Silver, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Utah. "This is due to an increase in the total amount of body fluid and a lower concentration of protein to keep the fluid in the blood vessels."

Swelling can also lead to noticeable discomfort. Angela Drinkwater of Greenport, N.Y., experienced this in her 4th or 5th month of pregnancy. It started with her ankles. If she crossed them for even a second, she'd have a major imprint. It made her uncomfortable. "I ended up like the blueberry girl in Willie Wonka toward the end," says Drinkwater.

"Lower extremity swelling that is 'normal' tends to worsen during the course of the day, especially with ambulation [movement]," says Dr. Silver. It gets better when feet are elevated. Swelling due to disease, however, usually persists, even after elevating the feet.

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