Pregnancy - Health Concerns

• Topic Overview
• Health Tools
• Prenatal Visits and Tests
• Testing For Birth Defects
• Health and Nutrition
• Body Changes
• Baby Development
• Emotions and Relationships
• Health Concerns
• Planning for Labor
• When to Call a Doctor
• Other Places To Get Help
• Related Information
• References
• Credits

Health problems that can happen during pregnancy

• Preeclampsia can develop after 20 weeks of pregnancy. It causes high blood pressure and protein in your urine. It can be very dangerous for the mother and baby. For more information, see the topic Preeclampsia and High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy.
• Gestational diabetes can make your baby grow too large, which can cause problems during delivery. To learn more, see the topic Gestational Diabetes.
• Preterm labor is the start of labor between week 20 and week 37 of pregnancy. The earlier the preterm labor, the greater the risk of problems with the baby. To learn more, see the topic Preterm Labor.
• Placenta previa happens when the placenta attaches in the wrong place in the uterus. To learn more, see the topic Placenta Previa.
• Placenta abruptio happens when the placenta separates too soon from the uterus. To learn more, see the topic Placenta Abruptio.
• If you have Rh-negativeblood and your partner is Rh-positive, you need RhoGAM (Rh immunoglobulin) treatment to prevent Rh sensitization.
• The risk of blood clots can increase during pregnancy because of changes in hormones.

Other concerns during pregnancy

• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of problems such as low birth weight, preterm labor, and miscarriage.
• Pregnancy over age 35 poses some risks, but most older women have healthy pregnancies.
• Medicine use (including herbal remedies) during pregnancy should always be approved by your doctor or midwife, to prevent harm to the fetus.
• Immunizations help protect you and your baby from certain health problems. The flu vaccine and the tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine are recommended for all pregnant women. It is safe to get these vaccines during your pregnancy. You may need to get other vaccines before or soon after your pregnancy.
• Pregnancy after bariatric surgery may mean that you keep seeing the doctor who did your weight-loss surgery, along with seeing the doctor or midwife who is caring for you during pregnancy.
• Domestic violence can happen more often and/or get worse when women are pregnant. It is dangerous for both the mother and the baby. For more information and to learn how to get help, see the topic Domestic Violence.