Nearly all pregnancies come about without any problem. However, many women who expect a baby go through some complications that include the mother’s health, her baby’s health, or both of them. At times, conditions or diseases the expecting mother suffered before getting pregnant can steer the problems during this time. Some most familiar issues of pregnancy involve miscarriage, premature labour, hypertension, preeclampsia, hyperglycemia, etc.
Some common conditions and diseases that lead to problems in the time of pregnancy involve iron-deficiency anaemia, tumour, diabetes, microbial infections, epilepsy, sexually communicated conditions such as HIV, high BP, etc. Some other risk determinants include bearing multiples in the womb (such as twins or triplets), consuming drugs, suffering from eating disorders such as anorexia, inhaling cancer sticks, drinking liquor, pregnancy at a younger or older age than the normal, a history of miscarriage or preterm delivery, etc. A Northeastern University professor conducted a study and found that births with Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) are strongly associated with many chronic conditions and complications during pregnancy.
Let us look in-depth about these complications. High BP occurs due to the narrowing of the placenta. It inclines the risk of delivering the baby before the due date. Gestational diabetes or hyperglycemia occurs due to the ineffective processing of sugars in the body. Premature labour is the situation if the baby is delivered before the 37th week of pregnancy. Baby’s organs are not developed until this time. A loss of pregnancy in the initial 20 weeks is called a miscarriage. Anaemia (i.e. decreasing red blood cells) can also create problems in pregnancy. When a baby’s feet are positioned to be delivered before their head, it is called the breech position and it causes complications in delivery. Sometimes, the placenta enfolds the cervix; in that case, it becomes essential to perform a cesarean delivery.
However, for a healthy pregnancy, you must consume a healthy diet full of fruits, vegetables, and proteins. Take multi-vitamins and if possible, put on an adequate amount of weight before conceiving. If you smoke those cancer sticks, quit it. Also, try to avoid alcohol and drugs.
Aarushi Chawla