Pregnancy Complications

The vast majority of women have normal, uncomplicated pregnancies and deliveries. Unfortunately, women can experience some complications during pregnancy.

Some complications of pregnancy, like gestational diabetes and anemia in pregnancy can easily be prevented if you know how. If you have a preexisting condition, like diabetes, it may be necessary to make some changes to your usual treatment regime, which will help keep you and your baby healthy.

Pregnancy Bleeding

Bleeding during pregnancy, often an early pregnancy complication, can be a sign of trouble. Yet, it is not uncommon for a woman to report that she had her period while she was pregnant.

Although it may seem like you are menstruating, there are often other causes for the blood, which are outlined in Periods During Pregnancy. However, bleeding in the ninth month may signify placenta previa or placental abruption.

As for your morning sickness, if it seems far worse than you ever expected it to be, you could be suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum

.

All new moms worry about when they will go into labor, but have you thought about what you would do if you went in early labor? Preterm labor, which can be preceded by PROM, will explain the signs of early labor, what you should do if it happens and how you can prevent it.

If your doctor suspects that you are at risk of preterm labor, or have been diagnosed with an incompetent cervix, you may be put on bed rest, which isn't as much fun as it sounds. If you do give birth before term, your baby may be born with a low birthweight, which can cause problems in the future.

Thyroid Problems

Thyroid disease, whether diagnosed prior to pregnancy or during pregnancy, can increase a woman's likelihood of experiencing complications during pregnancy. A type of thyroid problem, if you have a goiter, getting treatment for it will be affected by your pregnancy.

If you suffer from asthma or lupus, appropriate management of your symptoms during pregnancy is necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of your growing child.

A growing concern in many Western countries, particularly the United States, is obesity. Being obese during pregnancy significantly increases a woman's risk of pregnancy complications as well as increases her child's risk of health problems.

In fact, the US has now classified pregnant obese women as having a high risk pregnancy. Learn what you can do before you get pregnant as well as while you are pregnant to lower your chances of complications.

Another problem for women living in the United States: West Nile Virus. But is this virus really harmful to you and your child? New evidence suggests it might be. Take a look at West Nile Virus and Pregnancy: Are You at Risk? to find out how you can prevent being infected.

Blood Pressure

Hypertension is an important pregnancy complication to know about because it can lead to preeclampsia, which is even more serious. Make sure you know if you are at risk of developing either of these complications in pregnancy (if you have kidney disease, your chances are increased).

You may also want to read up on HELLP syndrome, which is associated with preeclampsia.

Most moms-to-be know how important the amniotic fluid is to their baby. But did you know that it can get too low or be produced too much?

Low amniotic fluid and excessive amniotic fluid will help you learn what the signs are and how to treat it if either of these complications with pregnancy occur.

Although most pregnant women will experience some type of odd food cravings, like chocolate dipped in mustard, some will have particularly strange cravings. If you find yourself hankering after dirt, clay, chalk or even hair, then you may be suffering from pica.

While it generally doesn't cause any complications with a woman's pregnancy, fibromyalgia can make the usual pregnancy aches exceptionally uncomfortable. Learn more about this chronic illness and how it may affect your pregnancy.

Although they can increase the risk of miscarriage and labor problems, women with uterine fiboroids may also find that their fibroids do not interfere greatly with their pregnancy.

Other Pregnancy Complications

Hughes Syndrome is a serious disorder that can cause women to experience miscarriages and other pregnancy complications. However, with proper treatment, women with Hughes Syndrome can have a healthy pregnancy.

In addition, another pregnancy complication that has only recently attracted the attention of the medical community is obstetric cholestasis or intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP). This pregnancy-related liver condition is associated with symptoms of severe itching, and can lead to serious pregnancy complications, including fetal distress and even stillbirth.

Learn more about pregnancy complications from the women's government health site.

Something troubling you about your pregnancy? Get some advice on pregnancy complications from other women in the forum

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Denizerer
It is important for women to be ready in it comes to get pregnant. There lot of changes in your diet and particularly your physical figure but it s precious to see the development. Carrying a developing baby inside the womb is the most wonderful experience every woman should have. A very much gift from above God.
7 years ago
Bibils94
Hello friends I'm 22 and almost 3 months pregnant. I will be 3 months pregnant on march the 9th and I coldn't be happier about having this baby but there's one big issue that's been bothering me for a long time and I need some clarification and friendly advice. I was diagnosed with a mental disorder called anxiety when I was 19. I used to experience panic attacks and was suicidal most of the time because of how bad my mental health was. I have been put on quietiapine and I've been doing great ever since. No more panic attacks no more suicidal thoughts I do still experience mild anxiety but it's definitely manageable and easy to keep under control. I have been on quietiapine for about a year and a half now and I take 400 mg a day. Sadly, I came across some pretty distasteful news on the internet one day but I don't know how reliable this is. I read some more into it and found out when you take quietiapine throughout your entire pregnancy no matter how far along you are the fetus may be born with birth defects such as muscular and bone defects and the medicine itself is extremely toxic to both the fetus and the mother. I also read the baby may have cerebral and some other type of body malformation. I would like for you to give me an insight into this because like I said I don't know how reliable this piece of information is but the only presumable thought of giving birth to a mentally/physically unhealthy baby is constantly bothering me. I can't seem to lower the dose to less than 300 mg or my symtpoms will come back. Advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
8 years ago
JennayLeigh
Hey there. This is really a question about pregnancies in general. My sister-in-law had told me her story and she is pretty unstable so I think it's a lie but I wanted a couple other opinions. In the beginning of November, she told us that she was pregnant from this man who is leaving for the marine corps at the end of November. She told us all that she had a heart condition and that she would either miscarry the baby or the baby or herself would die during childbirth. This all happened on a Thursday, by Monday she had told everyone that she had a miscarriage. However, by the end of the week, she had told everyone that she was pregnant with twins, one was an eptopic pregnancy miscarriage and the other survived. For the next few weeks, she was desperate to get in contact with this man and he asked her to leave him alone. He left for the marines as scheduled. Well since she has been avoiding contact with everyone. Is her story believable or is she just desperate to trap this man? Thanks
11 years ago
Markellys Sanchez
I TOOK 4 CYTOTEC PILLS, AND TODAY I FOUND OUT IM STILL PREGNANT, THE DOCTOR TOLD ME THE HEART WAS BEATING AND THAT NOW IM IN DANGER OF A MISCARRAGIE. IM SCARED TO DEATH THAT IF I HAVE IT, IT COULD BE BORN WITH SIDE EFFECTS OR AND THAT IT CCAN AFFECT ME TOO..
12 years ago
mommy30
I just found out i was pregnant on 12/15, my lmp is shaky since my birth control had me have a period every other week or two weeks in a row, but i believe my lmp was 11/6. I took a pregnancy test and it came back positive. This week while working i started bleeding, it looked like a menstral bleed, no clots at all and the bleeding stopped. I immediately called my OB and they scheduled me to have my beta Hcg drawn. The next day they called with the results and it was 12000, they scheduled me for an immediate US, once there they found the gestational sac but no embryo. The tech was either sugar coating the situation or was honestly explaining that it was too early and to come back in 10 days to have another test re-drawn. Im not sure how to take any of this, does this mean my baby is gone or is it really too early to detect?! I really cant wait 10 more days for answers!! Im still slightly bleeding, but no clots have been passed.
12 years ago