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| Home > Pre-natal Care > Complications during Pregnancy
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| | Complications during Pregnancy
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Please be observant and report diligently to your doctor any problem or adverse changes. This will help your doctor to detect early any complications that can develop during pregnancy. Best prenatal care is very much dependent on cooperation between the expectant parents and their physician.
 Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion
Miscarriage is the unexpected and involuntary expulsion of the embryo or fetus before the twen-tieth week of pregnancy, before the fetus is able to survive outside the womb. The causes of miscarriages are not thoroughly understood. However, a miscarriage may be due to an acute infection or a severe physical shock or an imbalance of hormones. More often, it is caused by a defective ovum or sperm or by a faulty intra-uterine environment.
The indications of miscarriage are vaginal bleeding and intermittent pain. The pain starts in the lower back and is later felt as abdominal cramping. It is very rare to arrest a miscarriage. However, if you suspect you are having a mis-carriage or if you bleed during pregnancy, the doctor`s advice is called for immediately for proper diagnosis to ensure healing afterwards.
The majority of expectant parents feel depressed when they lose the baby from miscarriage, even when the pregnancy has not been visible to others. A number of sup-port groups and books are available to help you cope with this difficult time.
Hyperemesis Gravidarum
Hyperemesis Gravidarum is a rare disorder characterized by severe and persistent nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. It usually begins in the first trimester. The symptoms are severe weight loss, Dehydration, and changes in blood chemistry. Treatment includes medication to relieve nausea and vomiting or hospitalization to restore the balance of body fluids or both.
Ectopic Pregnancy or Tubal Pregnancy
 Ectopic means `Out of Place`. Ectopic (extrauterine) pregnancy occurs when the fertilized ovum implants itself outside the uterus, usually in the fallopian tube. Hence, this disorder is also known as a tubal pregnancy. The egg can also implant in the ovary, abdomen, or the cervix, so you may see these referred to as cervical or abdominal pregnancies. The most common symptom of an ectopic pregnancy is abdominal pain, which is often described as sharp and stabbing. It may concentrate on one side of the pelvis, and it may come and go or vary in intensity. Fallopian tube does not have as much space or nurturing tissue as a uterus for a pregnancy to develop. The growing fetus will eventually burst the organ that contains it. In order to avoid rupturing the fallopian tube, the pregnancy is terminated through surgery.
Fever And High Body Temperature
If you continue to have a high body temperature for a long period, especially in early pregnancy, you may harm your baby. Try to bring the temperature down by usual methods - drink plenty of liquids or take a lukewarm bath (sponge bath or shower). It is advisable to consult your doctor if your fever is over 100 degrees F., before you do any self medication. Here it can be mentioned that hot tubs and saunas may raise your body temperature to a dangerously high level.
Placenta Previa
Placenta is the organ that nourishes the fetus. Placenta previa is a condition that may occur about once in 200 pregnancies when the placenta implants in the lower part of the uterus and is close to or covering the cervix. The symptoms for this disorder are spotting in the first and second trimesters, sudden, painless and intermittent vaginal bleeding during the third trimester, usually after the seventh month of pregnancy. If you observe these symptoms, please consult your doctor immediately. An abdominal ultrasound or X -ray is often done to determine the location of the placenta and the cause of bleed-ing. Treatment might involve bed rest and close medical ob-servation. A cesarean section is the means for delivery keeping in mind the mother`s and the infant`s well being.
Placentae Abruptio 
Placentae Abruptio or Abruptio placentae is the separation of the placenta from the uterus before delivery of the fetus. It occurs about once in 200 pregnancies, most often in the third trimester or during labor. Usual symptoms are abdominal pain, Back pain, tender-ness and rigidity of the uterus and vaginal bleeding. Excessive maternal bleeding and fetal distress due to deprivation of oxygen because of extensive separation of the placenta are the effects of this disorder. An emergency cesarean section may be necessary.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Venereal disease or a sexually transmitted disease (STD) can complicate your pregnancy and may even be life threatening for your unborn child. Highly contagious infections such as genital herpes, Chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea can cause serious problems for the baby. If you or your partner has ever suffered from such diseases and infections, please tell your doctor to help him take adequate precautions. If you or your partner has (or has had) genital sores, discharge from the vagina or penis, difficulties with urination, or other genital discomforts, tell your doctor. Treatment during pregnancy may include antibiotics or treatment of symptoms. Cesarean birth is the treatment of choice if you have a herpes sore in or around the vagina when labor begins. This is recommended to avoid infecting the baby during passage through the vagina.
Diabetes mellitus
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease caused by deficiency in production of insulin by the pancreas, or by the ineffectiveness of the insulin produced. This results in increased concentrations of glucose in the blood, which in turn damage many of the body`s systems, in particular the blood vessels and nerves. Diabetes presents special problems since it is difficult to control in pregnant women and may affect the unborn child. If you are pregnant and diabetic, you need the care of a specialist.
Sometimes, a pregnant woman who is not diabetic may show signs of diabetes like the presence of sugar in the urine. This disorder is known as gestational di-abetes. Detecting and treating this temporary condition is important. Treatment usually involves a special diet and in some cases, insulin injections. The mother and unborn baby must be ob-served closely, since the functioning of the placenta may be impaired near the due date and labor may need to be induced.
Preeclampsia (Toxemia)
Preeclampsia or toxemia is a serious disorder that occurs only during pregnancy. Preeclampsia causes sudden and excessive retention of fluid, rapid weight gain, an elevation of the blood pressure and presence of protein in the urine. It is yet to be clearly understood why preeclampsia occurs. Statistics show that preeclampsia occurs in about 5 percent of pregnancies.
Preeclampsia is more common in a woman`s first pregnancy, especially teenagers, in women over thirty, multiple (twins, triplets etc) pregnancy, women with high blood pressure or kidney disease or poor diet.
Symptoms of preeclampsia are severe headaches, disturbances in vision, ringing in the ear, dizziness etc. Such symptoms should be reported to your doctor immediately.
If not treated, preeclampsia may lead to severe stage-eclampsia- characterized by convulsions, coma and sometimes fetal and maternal death.
The treatment involves bed rest, close med-ical supervision, reduction of blood pressure, and sometimes delivery of the baby by induction of labor or cesarean section.
Medications may be used to calm down the mother, lower her blood pressure and reduce the risk of convulsions. Recuperation usual-ly takes place soon after the birth of the baby.
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