7 Main Pregnancy Complications

Pregnancy and giving birth to a baby is a joyous occasion; but there could be complications sometimes; your gynecologist is the best person to monitor complications during pregnancy by using lab tests, ultrasounds and physical examinations.

Here are 7 main pregnancy complications:  

1) Premature labor and birth that starts with regular contractions that dilates and efface the cervix before you reach the 37th week of pregnancy is one of the main complications of pregnancy.  Every 12 out of 100 babies are born premature or preterm in the United States of America that cause health problems or even death as most newborns can be healthy and survive when only more mature at birth.  

2) Miscarriage or loss of pregnancy in the first 20 weeks occurs in 10 to 20 percent of pregnancies, with 80% of the miscarriages occurring before the 12th week of pregnancies. The first sign of a miscarriage could be vaginal spotting or bleeding, though it is not a foolproof diagnosis. Once a miscarriage is suspected, your gynecologist may order an ultrasound and a blood test to confirm the diagnosis.

3) Preeclampsia, a serious condition that affects every 5 out of 100 pregnant women that have high blood pressure and protein in their urine or liver with abnormalities in the kidney. Occurring after 20 weeks of pregnancy severe preeclampsia can affect many organs and cause serious or even life-threatening problems and calls for early delivery.  

4) The amniotic sac is filled with fluid that protects and supports your developing baby; low amniotic fluid or oligohydramnios is an important complication of pregnancy that occurs in every 4 out of 100 pregnant women in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy. Your caregiver will closely monitor if the baby is continuing to grow normally; labor is induced if it is near the end of your pregnancy.

5) Gestational diabetes, affecting every 2 to 100 pregnant women in US is the next pregnancy complication; if uncontrolled it could lead to serious consequences for the baby. All expectant mothers need to go for a glucose screening test between the 24th to 28th weeks of pregnancy. The delivery of healthy babies requires keeping blood sugar under control by diet and exercise. Expectant mothers with gestational diabetes have 25 to 50% chances of developing Type 2 diabetes later on in life; this risk is significantly reduced by maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle.  

6) Ectopic pregnancy or the implanting of the fertilized egg outside the uterus mostly in the fallopian tube is a pregnancy complication. Also known as tubal pregnancy, it is necessary to catch this pregnancy early in pregnancy to avoid rupture of the fallopian tube with fatal internal bleeding. The only option to this complication is the end of pregnancy. 

7) Placenta previa or the placenta lying unusually low in the uterus next to or covering the cervix is usually found early in pregnancy. It could in the early stages cause bleeding and other complications requiring you to deliver early. Diagnosed by ultrasound exams, only a small percentage of expectant mothers have it full term; C-section may be called for in cases when women have placenta previa when they give birth