Complications During Pregnancy And How To Avoid Them

If you are pregnant with your first child then you will no doubt be consuming swathes of literature and guidance about what the next 9 months of your life will look like. You also maybe freaking out at the smallest change that takes place, as any expecting mother would do. There are of course some risks for a pregnant women, and complications that could happen during the pregnancy itself, which of course you will wish to avoid. Here is some information on common pregnancy complications and how you can avoid them. 

Complications

Let’s start by having a look at what the common complications of pregnancy are, those which affect the largest amount of women. 

1. High Blood Pressure/Hypertension 

Pressure in the arteries cause them to narrow which can restrict oxygen to the placenta. 

2. Gestational Diabetes

Hormonal changes result in build up of glucose due to reduced insulin output, which then causes diabetes. 

3. Infections 

A weakened immune system could see infections which can affect the health of the baby significantly. 

4. Incompetent Cervix

An incompetent cervix is the weakening of the tissue surrounding the cervix, which causes the premature birth of a baby, or in extreme cases can contribute to a miscarriage. 

5. Preeclampsia 

Serous medical condition which can lead to preterm delivery and very often death, the result of increased blood pressure and organ damage. 

6. Preterm Labor

Labor which begins before 37 weeks, caused by numerous factors. 

7. Death 

Miscarriage or stillbirth of the baby, again the result of various reasons. 

Avoiding Complications 

There is a lot that you can be doing to ensure the health of the baby and of yourself during the pregnancy term. The first thing is to ensure that you get regular checkups with the midwife, this is not about calling every time something doesn’t feel right, but having planned checkups so that you will be safe in the knowledge that baby and you and doing well. It should go without saying but drugs, cigarettes and alcohol should not be consumed during the pregnancy. Pregnant mothers should be looking at getting at least 400 mg of folic acid each day, and ensure that they are eating a healthy diet which is nutrient rich. 

Physical activity is also going to be key here, naturally this will become increasingly more difficult as the pregnancy wears on and that bump gets bigger and bigger. Having a baby, caring for the baby inside and out of the womb is going to require a lot of strength and that is why you need to be looking at building up as much muscle as possible, so that your body won’t be put under as much stress. 

The best thing that you can be doing for you and your baby is to keep your strength up, keep a healthy lifestyle and ensure that you seek advice at every opportunity, in order to help prevent complications during your pregnancy. As always, consult your doctor for advice specifically about your condition should you have any questions.

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