6 Pregnancy Complications You Should Know AboutBy Jenny Ferguson [Health & Your Life]
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 Gestational DiabetesSince your body has to produce enough of everything to support you and your growing baby, you may develop Gestational Diabetes when your body cannot support proper insulin production during pregnancy. This condition will resolve itself after the baby is born. You will likely have to watch what you eat and you may be put on insulin. Your doctor will want you to take a Glucose Tolerance Test around your 24th week of pregnancy to see how your body is adjusting. Nausea & Vomiting Morning sickness is one of the most common pregnancy complications, and while it’s nauseating, it’s generally not something to be concerned about. Many people suggest eating a few small, ‘dry’ meals when you feel like you’re going to throw up. When you wake up, eat a few soda crackers as this tends to help quell the nausea. If you think your symptoms are out of control, visit your obstetrician. There are safe, effective solutions to your morning sickness if it’s interfering with your nutrition and well-being. There is a severe form of morning sickness called hyperemesis and it usually requires a short hospital stay to get your stomach and symptoms under control. Placenta Previa Placenta previa means that part or all of your placenta is covering the opening of your cervix. It is diagnosed by ultrasound and you’ll usually notice bleeding. Sometimes you won’t notice bleeding at all in early pregnancy and you’ll discover through a routine ultrasound that your placenta is “low lying,” that is, it’s positioned close to the cervix. A low lying placenta does not always develop into placenta previa. As the placenta grows, it can grow away from the cervix. If you have placenta previa, your doctor will tell you to report to the hospital if you have any bleeding during your pregnancy. You might have to be admitted to the hospital to monitor your bleeding and your baby’s health. RH Incompatibility Your blood type and your baby’s blood type are important factors in any subsequent pregnancies. Your RH factor, the + or – sign after your blood type, indicates if you have anti-bodies present in your blood. If an RH – mother is pregnant with an RH + baby and some of the baby’s blood gets into the maternal blood stream, her immune system will recognize that blood as a foreign substance and try to repel it. With the first baby, there is no real concern. It’s with subsequent pregnancies, when a woman has already been exposed to the foreign threat, that her body may fight against her future children. Your doctor or midwife will send you for an injection if you are RH – to inhibit your body from producing antibodies to any future RH + children around 28 weeks. You may need to have another injection after the baby is born if your child is RH +. ________________________________________________ healthy baby & healthy families Pregnancy involves plenty of changes for your body and there may be side effects. From common nausea and vomiting to less common complications of pregnancy, keeping informed will help you stay in control of these changes and know when to talk to your doctor or midwife. Sources: Virginia Healthy System BabyCenter.ca JustMommies.com BabyCenter.ca |
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