Fact or Fiction: is it true that your feet grow during pregnancy?

You may well have heard a pregnant woman say, «None of my shoes fit me anymore!» Or perhaps during your own pregnancy, you were frustrated to discover that your feet were growing along with your baby bump.

There’s at least a plausible explanation for the phenomenon during pregnancy. Many women suffer from water retention, known as oedema. The body’s water content increases, and the blood vessels become more elastic. As a result, the tissues absorb even more water. Not only that, but the expanding uterus puts pressure on the veins, making it more difficult for blood to flow back to the heart. The result? Legs and feet that are heavy, tired and swollen. Keeping your legs elevated and wearing support stockings can help.

After childbirth, however, swollen legs and feet soon become a thing of the past for most women. The body flushes out the excess fluid, and after a few weeks at most, the feet are back to their pre-pregnancy state.

One and a half shoe sizes bigger

The more astonishing thing is when your shoes still don’t fit long after you’ve given birth. Yes, that happens – and it’s really not uncommon. A study conducted by the University of Iowa examined the phenomenon in 2013. «I heard so many women talking about having to go buy new shoes after pregnancy,» said Professor of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation Neil Segal, who oversaw the study. He measured the feet of the 49 study participants during pregnancy and five months after birth.

His results showed that in 60-70 per cent of cases, the women’s feet grew wider and longer. Even five months after giving birth, their feet were still 2-10 millimetres longer – a difference of up to one and a half shoe sizes.

It only happens with your first child

Segal attributes this enlargement of the feet to the intense strain placed on the bones and ligaments during pregnancy. The extra weight creates downward pressure, which can lead to a splay foot – or widening of the forefoot. Pregnancy hormones make the ligaments looser and more flexible as it is. Still, at least the effect appears to be limited to pregnancy number one. According to the study, the women’s foot structures didn’t change significantly after giving birth to their second or third child.

Even so, this enlargement of the feet can have lasting effects beyond just shoe size. «Changes in the feet during pregnancy may explain why women are at increased risk for pain or arthritis in their feet, knees, hips and spine than men,» says Segal.

In our Fact or Fiction? series, I put baby-related pearls of wisdom and whacky pregnancy theories under the microscope. Previously published:

What other myths should I put to the test? Write me a comment below or drop me an e-mail.