Health Problems in Pregnancy

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Basics

Summary
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Diagnosis and Tests
Prevention and Risk Factors

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Related Issues
Specifics

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Summary

Every pregnancy has some risk of problems. You may have problems because of a health condition you had before you got pregnant. You could also develop a condition during pregnancy. Other causes of problems during pregnancy can include being pregnant with more than one baby, a health problem in a previous pregnancy, substance abuse during pregnancy, or 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

High blood pressure
Polycystic ovary syndrome
Kidney problems
Autoimmune disorders
Obesity
HIV/AIDS
Cancer
Infections

Other conditions that can make pregnancy risky can happen while you are pregnant - for example, gestational diabetes and Rh incompatibility. Good prenatal care can help detect and treat them.

Some discomforts, like 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.

Start Here

High-Risk Pregnancy (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
Pregnancy Complications (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Pregnancy Complications (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) Also in Spanish
What Are the Factors That Put a Pregnancy at Risk? (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish
What Health Problems Can Develop during Pregnancy? (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

Bleeding during Pregnancy (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - PDF Also in Spanish
Estrogen Levels Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Prenatal Testing: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Progesterone Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Prevention and Risk Factors

Who Is at Increased Risk of Health Problems during Pregnancy? (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

Acute Pancreatitis and Pregnancy (National Pancreas Foundation)
Asthma, Allergies and Pregnancy (American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology) Also in Spanish
Depression and Pregnancy (Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) - PDF Also in Spanish
Epilepsy and Pregnancy (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Gaucher Disease in Pregnancy (Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) - PDF 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
Hyperthermia and Pregnancy (Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) - PDF Also in Spanish
Hypothyroidism and Pregnancy (Hormone Health Network)
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Pregnancy (Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) - PDF Also in Spanish
Pregnancy and IC (Interstitial Cystitis Association)
Pregnancy and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders)
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)
Pregnancy Complications: Liver Disorders (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) Also in Spanish
Thinking about Pregnancy After Premature Birth (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
What You Should Know about Sickle Cell Disease and Pregnancy (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF Also in Spanish
Will Stress during Pregnancy Affect My Baby? (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish

Specifics

Blood Clotting and Pregnancy (American Society of Hematology)
Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) (HER Foundation)
Intrauterine Growth Restriction (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Pregnancy After Age 35 (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
Pregnancy Complications: Anemia (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) Also in Spanish
Pregnancy Complications: Cervical Insufficiency and Short Cervix (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) Also in Spanish
Pregnancy Complications: Placental Abruption (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
Pregnancy Complications: Placental Accreta, Increta and Percreta (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) Also in Spanish
Pregnancy Complications: Umbilical Cord Abnormalities (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) Also in Spanish
Why Do Abdominal Muscles Sometimes Separate during Pregnancy? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Pregnancy Complications (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Pregnancy, High-Risk (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Find an Expert

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish
March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation Also in Spanish
womenshealth.gov (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) 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 abruptio (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Placenta previa (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