Pregnancy: Complications

Pregnancy Complications
While there are many discomforts associated with being pregnant, the following are some signs that extend beyond discomfort into possibly signaling harm to the mother or the baby if they occur late in ...
Infections during Pregnancy
A woman is still vulnerable to infections even though she is pregnant. However, the health of her baby is also of concern now. While a woman's immune system responds the same to infection regardless o ...
Molar Pregnancy
A molar pregnancy is technically known as hydatidiform mole and refers to a rare condition that affects 1/2000 pregnancies in the United States. In this condition, an abnormal mass forms inside of the ...
Multiple Pregnancies
Multiple pregnancies, the presence of more than one fetus in the womb, can at the same time be quite challenging and rewarding. The current rising use of fertility drugs has increased the inciden ...
Birth Defects
Birth defects are disorders that are present at birth, i. e. they are congenital defects. The variety of defects can range from mild cosmetic irregularities to major developmental and biochemical diso ...
Diabetes during Pregnancy
Pregnancy can exacerbate the health problems of women already suffering from diabetes, or it can trigger diabetes in women who have a predisposition to the disease. During the course of their pregnanc ...
Ectopic (Tubal) Pregnancies
An ectopic pregnancy arises when a sperm fertilizes an egg and implantation occurs in the fallopian tube, instead of in the uterus. Usually, fertilization occurs in the fallopian tube and the embryo c ...
High Blood Pressure and Preeclampsia
It's important to have the mother's blood pressure checked regularly during pregnancy because 5-10% of pregnant women develop serious high blood pressure during their pregnancy. Known as pregnancy-ind ...
Hydramnios and Oligohydramnios
Hydramnios refers to an excessive amount of amniotic fluid, whereas oligohydramnios refers to a lack of amniotic fluid. The two conditions are diagnosed by a larger or smaller abdomen size, respective ...
Platelet Disorders
Platelets are blood cells that play a crucial role in blood clotting. If a fetus does not have enough platelets when it is born, it is at risk of bleeding within its organs or its skull. The condition ...
Rh Negative Mother
Rh is a factor in the mother's blood that if positive means there is a substance known as factor D in her blood. An Rh negative person does not have factor D. If an Rh negative mother and father have ...
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
It is important that the mother discuss with her physician any suspected or confirmed STDs to ensure her pregnancy can be carried out in the safest fashion possible. The risk factors for acquiring an ...
Shoulder Dystocia
Shoulder Dystocia refers to the situation in which a baby's shoulders become stuck during delivery, preventing further movement down the birth canal. To treat this condition, one must try to slide the ...
Venous Thromboembolism and Phlebitis
Venous thromboembolism refers to a blood clot in a vein and the detachment of a fragment of this clot ending up in other organs such as the lungs. The most common location of thrombosis in pregnancy i ...