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Pregnancy
 9
months of pregnancy
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COMMON PROBLEMS DURING PREGNANCY
During pregnancy your body goes through different
changes. Sometimes there changes taking place causes irritation and discomfort
and at times they may seem quite upsetting. Though there is nothing to be scared
or alarmed about and it is natural but it is important that you mention any
change that you experience to your doctor.
Following are a list of problems that you will face during your pregnancy:
- Backache
- Bleeding of the nose and gums
- Breathlessness
-
Constipation
- Cramp
-
Discharge from breasts and Itching
-
Faintness
-
Feeling hot and warm
-
Headache
-
Indigestion and Heartburn
-
Insomnia
-
Morning Sickness
-
Passing water often
- Piles
- Skin
and hair changes
-
Swollen ankles, Feet and Fingers
-
Tiredness
-
Vaginal discharge and Itching
-
Varicose veins
COMPLICATIONS DURING PREGNANCY
Some
of the common complications during pregnancy are hepatitis-B infection,
high blood pressure, diabetes, rh disease, vaginitis or monilia,
excessive weight gain, inadequate weight gain, ovarian cysts, etc. These
problems can cause serious complications and thus it is advisable that
one has to be very careful and vigilant and any signs of trouble must be
attended immediately.
HEPATITIS-B INFECTION
It is very important to have the Hepatitis-B test taken during
pregnancy. Hepatitis-B infection can be passed on to the foetus during
childbirth through the mother. This infection is normally tested and
found in the fifth month. If infected babies are left untreated with
this disease then there are chances that they become chronic carriers of
this disease and are at a greater risk of developing more serious liver
problems. If the test results reveal that the mother has this infection
then it is possible for the doctors to treat the child right at birth
and prevent future complications.
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
High blood pressure also known as Toxaemia, Pre-eclampsia or
Hypertension can cause stroke in the mother, growth retardation of the
baby, which can cause serious complications. It can also result into
loss of the child and also can result in premature delivery. Normally
2%-4% pregnant women develop transient high blood pressure during
pregnancy, which is not too serious and lasts only during your
pregnancy. Blood pressure drops generally in the 1st and 2nd trimester
and again rises only in the 7th month. Therefore one has to keep a check
on the systolic reading and if you find your systolic reading rise by
30mm Hg or the diastolic pressure rise by 15mm Hg, which stays up for 2
consecutive readings taken after 6 hours, immediately consult your
doctor and take necessary treatment. If it rises even higher in the 3rd
trimester, followed by sudden weight gain, swelling and water retention,
you could be suffering from pre-eclampsia (pregnancy induced
hypertension), which requires immediate doctors attention.
HIGH SUGAR LEVELS (OR DIABETES)
During pregnancy glucose is an essential factor for the baby's
nourishment and thus your body has to provide enough glucose to the
growing foetus. Thus pregnancy triggers anti insulin mechanisms to make
sure enough sugar remains circulating in your blood stream to nourish
the baby.However sometimes normally in the 2nd trimester, this
anti-insulin effect increases and thus more sugar is left behind than
what is required by both mother and child. This excessive sugar is
passed into the urine. Thus there is no cause for worry as roughly 50%
of pregnant women show sugar in their urine. Normally, the body responds
to an increased production of insulin, however, some women (2%-4%) may
be unable to produce enough insulin at a time to handle this increase,
or are unable to use this insulin efficiently. This results in
gestational diabetes. The symptoms of gestational diabetes are increase
in blood pressure, frequent urination in the 2nd trimester, vaginal
infections and excessive hunger and thirst. High sugar levels can cause
complications like miscarriages, premature delivery, etc.
RH DISEASE
Rh incompatibility occurs when the mother is Rh negative (Rh-) and the
father is Rh positive (Rh+) then the baby may contract the Rh disease if
preventive measures are not taken, and the baby's health may be at risk.
This disease normally occurs during the second pregnancy. People with no
Rh factor in their blood are called Rh negative. In a situation where Rh
incompatibility exists, Rh disease occurs when the Rh factor enters the
Rh negative's mother's circulatory system during the delivery of a baby
who has inherited the Rh factor from his or her father during the first
pregnancy. The mother's immune system reacts by producing antibodies to
act against the "foreign" substance. If the woman gets pregnant again
with a Rh-positive baby, the antibodies cross the placenta and attack
the foetal red blood cells which could lead to anemia in the baby.
Taking dose of Rh-immune globulin at 28 weeks by the expectant
Rh-negative woman, who has no antibodies in her blood, can prevent Rh
disease. Another dose is given after 72 hours of delivery if the baby is
Rh-positive.
VAGINITIS OR MONILIA
Vaginitis is a vaginal infection that is common in pregnancy. This
problem is sometimes also called yeast infection because a type of yeast
called "Monila" causes it. Its symptoms are itching, burning, and a
vaginal discharge (like white cottage cheese). Monila in the vagina is
very harmful for the baby since it affects the baby's mouth by forming a
white coating on the baby's mouth and tongue.
WEIGHT GAIN (EXCESSIVE or INADEQUATE)
Excessive weight gain during pregnancy is not healthy, either for you or
for the baby. Hydramnios is a condition, which is caused when there is,
increased amniotic fluid around the baby. This weight around the baby
could put pressure on the cervix, causing it to dilate prematurely
resulting in a delivery much before your due date. If the foetus is
overly large, it could also lead to a difficult delivery. Weight gain
due to over-eating can cause serious problems high blood pressure,
diabetes etc. However if there is a sudden weight gain accompanied with
swelling of hands and face with headache then you should immediately
consult your doctor.Similarly inadequate weight gain can also lead to
complications. Low weight gain later in the pregnancy (after the first
trimester) is not a good sign. It could indicate one of two
complications: intrauterine growth retardation or it could indicate
oligohydramnios (less amniotic fluid around the foetus). If the
intrauterine growth retardation is a result of poor nutrition, it is
important that the mother get optimum nutrition in order to provide
proper nutrition to herself and also to the baby. Fortunately, the
foetus' need for calories and nutrients is quite low in the first
trimester. However, in the later stages of pregnancy, if you do not gain
any weight for two consecutive weeks, you should consult your doctor.
OVARIAN CYSTS
After a woman ovulates, a yellowish body of cells is formed on the ovary
called the corpus luteum. This normally disappears 14 days after it is
formed, during the woman's next period. When the woman conceives, the
corpus luteum does not disappear because there has been no menstruation.
The corpus luteum is sustained by the HCG hormone (generated by cells
that form the placenta) during pregnancy. The corpus luteum becomes
necessary in a pregnancy because it grows to support and nourish the new
pregnancy until the placenta takes over. Normally, the corpus luteum
shrinks in about 6-7 weeks and stops functioning by the 10th week.
However in a few cases, the corpus luteum fails to regress and becomes a
cyst which if not monitored becomes huge or ruptures and then it has to
be surgically removed. |
