Pregnancy & The Voice: How Pregnancy Affects Vocal Health

Pregnancy is a life-changing experience, but for a professional voice user, there may also be an impact on their career and ability to perform. The rise of estrogen and progesterone that occur during pregnancy and the shifts that occur after can significantly impact the voice and the whole body.

Changes Impacting Your Voice During Pregnancy

Changed Posture

Carrying a growing baby shifts posture and the balancing of weight in your feet, legs and spine over the course of nine months. The shifts in your back, pelvis, and chest can make it harder for pregnant women to sing. Myofascial work to re-balance, supportive footwear, back-body strengthening, and supportive pillows when resting all help to decrease the impact of these shifts. 

Decreased Nasal Resonance

Pregnancy causes your body to swell, including the tissue in the nose. This can make nose-breathing difficult. Mouth breathing results in vocal/throat dryness. Sound also does not resonate as well through congested nose and sinus passages. This changes how a singer feels when they sing and adjustments to improve resonance can be fatiguing or painful. Perceived volume is lower, and singers often must push harder to compensate, increasing the risk of injury. Managing nasal congestion with your laryngologist and obstetrician helps manage these symptoms. This may include sinus rinsing, nasal sprays, or oral tablets.

Decreased Lung Capacity

It is much more difficult to take a full breath when pregnant, as the uterus expands upward and presses up on the diaphragm. This can cause decreased endurance as the power supply of the voice is limited. Singers note vocal fatigue and inability to sustain notes as long.

Increased Propensity for Acid Reflux

Acid reflux is one of the most common symptoms during pregnancy. Hormones cause your sphincter to relax causing your stomach acid to no longer be forced to your stomach. Your stomach is also at a lower capacity, so when it gets full, acid is more likely to travel upwards. This can result in heartburn, altered voice, postnasal drip, and other symptoms.

Swelling of Vocal Folds and Shifted Range

Vocal folds may swell during pregnancy from hormone impact or other factors like acid reflux or postnasal drip. This may shift the vocal range lower (gain notes at the bottom and lose notes at the top of their range). However, many pregnant people note a significant vocal improvement in the second trimester from the impact of hormones. The most important consideration is monitoring and not pushing the voice. 

Increased Fragility of Vocal Fold Blood Vessels

Blood vessels throughout the body dilate during pregnancy, including in the vocal folds. This results in increased fragility of the vocal fold vessels, making them more prone to rupture. For this reason, it is important to manage inflammation, avoid pushing the voice, and listen to your body to avoid straining your voice. 

When to See a Voice Doctor

Pregnancy impacts the voice both positively and negatively. The most important strategies to safely sing when pregnant is to continue to monitor your vocal heatlh with your laryngologist, listen to your body and its limits, and continue to work with your vocal coach who can guide you safely through pregnancy and delivery.

Understanding how pregnancy affects your voice can help you navigate this unique time with care and awareness. Prioritize your vocal health and consult with a professional if you have any concerns.