Pregnancy can be one of the most beautiful events in any woman’s life. With the development of science and availability of superior medical facilities most problems in pregnancy can be successfully resolved. Some pregnancy complications and conditions can however pose a grave threat to the health of the mother and the unborn child and thereby spoil this happy and momentous occasion.
Among the pregnancy complications one possibility is the mother being exposed to something that could in turn result in the child being born with certain birth defects. Such an exposure could include exposure to certain chemicals, some specific drugs, body infections and exposure to radiation. Some of these complications can arise during the pregnancy itself while others can arise during and after the child birth.
Ectopic pregnancy is one of the common pregnancy complications. In ectopic pregnancy the fertilized egg is often planted within the female body in a place outside the uterus. In most cases the egg is planted in the fallopian tube and so this condition is also called tubal pregnancy. In ectopic pregnancies there is no space for the fetus to grow and develop and if this growth is allowed then it can result in damage to the organ.
The organ can burst and cause bleeding thereby endangering the life of the mother. Quite often pregnant women develop disorders that may not be related to the pregnancy but pose a grave risk to the mother and the child. Some of these pregnancy complications include infections, fevers and some require abdominal surgeries. Up to 3 % of pregnant women develop diabetes in their pregnancy.
Gestational diabetes as it is called can increase problems and pose a health risk to the fetus if it remains unrecognized and untreated. This diabetes is often common among women who are obese and also among women belonging to certain ethnic groups such as those of Mexican, Asian and India descent along with Pacific Islanders and Native Americans. A routine screening can help identify pregnancy diabetes.
Anemia is also among the common pregnancy complications with many women developing this condition due to an iron deficiency. The woman’s body needs double amount of iron in pregnancy so as to create the red blood cells within the fetus. In the absence of adequate iron the woman suffers from anemia. Deficiency of folic acid can also result in anemia. This problem can be tackled by taking folic acid and iron supplements in the pregnancy period.
Some other pregnancy complications include placental abruption where the placenta prematurely detaches from the uterus wall. Such a detachment or loosening can occur either completely or incompletely. This complication is often seen in women who have high blood pressure problem.
One of the severe complications during pregnancy includes placenta previa. In placenta previa the placenta is seen implanted near or over the cervix and this is in the lower part of the uterus instead of the upper part. This can then partially or completely cover the cervix opening. Bleeding in any phase of the pregnancy can be quite dangerous and seeking medical help for this is very important. Women diagnosed with thyroid disease during or before the pregnancy are likely to experience pregnancy complications.
Women having asthma or lupus should ensure that their conditions are properly managed so as to ensure the well being of the child. Premature labor is also one of the pregnancy complications and in this a woman may start having regular contractions before the 37th week of her pregnancy period. If the baby is delivered before the 37th week then the birth is considered to be premature.
Toxaemia is a common problem that can occur during pregnancy. In this problem the blood pressure can increase significantly and there is swelling of the hands and ankles and sudden weight gain. Depression following the pregnancy is quite a common occurrence and the hormonal changes in the woman’s body can at times trigger off this depression.
