7 Common Pregnancy Complications to Look Out For

Make sure to get the recommended amount of pregnancy healthcare to help identify common pregnancy complications before they cause a bigger problem.

Pregnancy is often a time of bliss and anticipation but it is not the time to be slack with healthcare maintenance. It is essential to get the recommended amount of pregnancy healthcare. Although many pregnancies can be smooth sailing there are always possible pregnancy complications. Sometimes these complications can be ‘silent,’ meaning that you don’t know they are occurring until they cause harm. This is why it is so important to attend your regularly scheduled pregnancy healthcare appointments. Pregnancy complications can affect the mother, baby, or both. If you don’t have health insurance there are clinics that specialize in providing affordable pregnancy healthcare. If possible, talk to your primary care doctor or gynecologist before trying to become pregnant. Discuss if you have any medical issues that could cause pregnancy complications. If you are already pregnant, talk with your OB/GYN provider at your first pregnancy appointment.

Common Pregnancy Complications

Anemia

Anemia is a condition where you have less than the recommended amount of red blood cells. Anyone can be affected by anemia but being pregnant increases the risk. Oftentimes anemia can go unnoticed if bloodwork is not done. It can cause symptoms of fatigue, dizziness, pale skin, headache, weakness, and irregular heart rhythms. Your OB/GYN will have you complete regularly scheduled bloodwork during pregnancy to monitor for anemia.

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

UTIs are common during pregnancy. When you visit your OB/GYN, they will often test for any UTIs in the early pregnancy stages. Some people can have a UTI and not display any symptoms. Some people will have symptoms of pain, burning, fever, and abnormal urine. Luckily, treatment is usually a simple course of antibiotics.

Hypertension / Preeclampsia

Hypertension is high blood pressure. Having high blood pressure during pregnancy puts the mother and baby at risk. Some of the risks of high blood pressure during pregnancy include preeclampsia, placental abruption, gestational diabetes, preterm delivery, and infant death. Your healthcare provider will monitor your blood pressure every time you come in for an appointment and will be able to prescribe medication or monitor you more closely if there are concerns about hypertension.

Mental Health Conditions

Getting treatment for mental health conditions is vital to both the mother and the baby. It is common to experience depression, anxiety, or other mental health conditions during or after pregnancy.

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes occurs when a woman is pregnant. If it goes undiagnosed it can cause chronic issues for the mother and the baby. Your OB/GYN provider will have you complete testing for gestational diabetes during the second trimester.

Weight Gain

It is normal to gain 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy if you were at a normal weight before becoming pregnant. If you gain more than the recommended amount of weight it could cause preeclampsia, stillbirth, or needing a cesarean delivery

Hyperemesis Gravidarum

It is normal to have some nausea and vomiting during the first trimester of pregnancy. This is often referred to as morning sickness but it can happen at any time of the day. Some women will experience severe nausea and vomiting that does not go away, referred to as hyperemesis gravidarum. This can lead to weight loss and dehydration.

Resources

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, April 4). Pregnancy complications. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved November 11, 2022