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Summary
Every pregnancy has some risk of problems, but there are certain conditions and health issues that can raise that risk, such as:
- A health condition you had before you got pregnant
- A health condition you develop during pregnancy
- A pregnancy with more than one baby
- A health problem that happened during a previous pregnancy and could happen again
- Substance use during pregnancy
- Being over age 35
Any of these can affect your health, the health of your baby, or both.
If you have a chronic condition, you should talk to your health care provider about how to minimize your risk before you get pregnant. Once you are pregnant, you may need a health care team to monitor your pregnancy. Some common conditions that can complicate a pregnancy include:
Other conditions that may make pregnancy risky can develop during pregnancy - for example, gestational diabetes and Rh incompatibility. Good prenatal care can help detect and treat them.
Some symptoms, such as nausea, back pain, and fatigue, are common during pregnancy. Sometimes it is hard to know what is normal. Call your health care provider if something is bothering or worrying you.
Symptoms
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Urgent Maternal Warning Signs
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
Diagnosis and Tests
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Estrogen Levels Test
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
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Prenatal Testing: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
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Progesterone Test
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Prevention and Risk Factors
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Who Is at Increased Risk of Health Problems during Pregnancy?
(Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish
Related Issues
- Asthma, Allergies and Pregnancy (American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology) Also in Spanish
- Chronic Health Conditions and Pregnancy (March of Dimes Foundation) Also in Spanish
-
Delivering Safer Pregnancies: Lower Your Risk of Health Problems
(National Institutes of Health) Also in Spanish
- Depression and Pregnancy (Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) - PDF Also in Spanish
-
Does PCOS Affect Pregnancy?
(Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish
- Epilepsy and Pregnancy (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Fever/Hyperthermia and Pregnancy (Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) Also in Spanish
- Gaucher Disease and Pregnancy (Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) Also in Spanish
- Headaches during Pregnancy: What's the Best Treatment? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Heart Conditions and Pregnancy: Know the Risks (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- IBS in Women (International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders)
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Pregnancy (Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) Also in Spanish
- Lupus and Pregnancy (Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) Also in Spanish
- Partners, Friends, and Family of Pregnant or Postpartum Women (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
- Pregnancy after 35: Healthy Pregnancies, Healthy Babies (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Pregnancy and Reproductive Issues (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
- Pregnancy and Rheumatic Disease (American College of Rheumatology) Also in Spanish
-
Pregnancy and Thyroid Disease
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
-
Will Stress during Pregnancy Affect My Baby?
(Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish
Specifics
- Anemia (March of Dimes Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Back Pain during Pregnancy (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
- Bleeding and Spotting from the Vagina during Pregnancy (March of Dimes Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Bleeding during Pregnancy (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
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Blood Clotting and Pregnancy
(American Society of Hematology)
- Cervical Length: Why Does It Matter during Pregnancy? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Fetal Growth Restriction (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Morning Sickness: Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
- Placental Abruption (March of Dimes Foundation)
- Placental Accreta, Increta, and Percreta (March of Dimes Foundation) Also in Spanish
- Umbilical Cord Conditions (March of Dimes Foundation) Also in Spanish
Test Your Knowledge
- Is Your Pregnancy High Risk? (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Pregnancy Complications
(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Pregnancy, High-Risk
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Maternal serum levels of prokineticin-1 related to pregnancy complications and metformin...
- Article: Effects of Mediterranean diet or mindfulness-based stress reduction on fetal and...
- Article: Comparison of Vaginal Birth Rate between Induction of Labour and Expectant...
- Health Problems in Pregnancy -- see more articles
Find an Expert
- Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health Also in Spanish
-
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Also in Spanish
- Find an Ob-Gyn (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
- March of Dimes Foundation Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Bed rest during pregnancy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Hydramnios (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Hyperemesis gravidarum (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Insufficient cervix (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Placenta abruptio (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Placenta previa (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Pregnancy - health risks (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Vaginal bleeding in late pregnancy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Vaginal bleeding in pregnancy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish