Most pregnancies are uneventful and without complications. However, one of the reasons of attending prenatal care is that there may be some medical complications that increase risks in pregnancy. There are many potential medical complications in pregnancy including preterm births, high blood presure, and diabetes. 

Chest Pain During Pregnancy and Postpartum Period

Chest pain can be a serious problem in pregnancy and requires immediate attention. ... read more »

High Risk Pregnancy Complications Guide

What you should know about high-risk pregnancy! ... read more »

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Pregnancy

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease of the central nervous system, and it affects many young women of child bearing age. ... read more »

Cerebral (Brain) Aneurysms And Pregnancy

An aneurysm happens when part of a blood vessel (artery) swells either because it is injured, or if the wall of the blood vessel is weak. Aneurysms can happen in the aorta (aortic aneurysms), the brain (brain or cerebral aneurysms), or peripherally in other body parts (peripheral aneurysms).  ... read more »

Chorioamnionitis

Chorioamnionitis is a bacterial infection that causes irritation and inflammation of the amnion and chorion fetal membranes. ... read more »

Childhood Cancer Can Increase Pregnancy Complications

Pregnancy in childhood cancer survivors could be riskier than previously thought. Chances of premature labor, early delivery and hemorrhage are higher in certain cancer cases. ... read more »

Pulmonary Thromboembolism and Embolism in Pregnancy

Venous thromboembolism is a serious disorder that is the result of blood clots that form on the walls of veins. For pregnant women, VT is the number one risk of death during delivery of the baby. ... read more »

A Woman's Age and High Risk Pregnancy

35 is often used as a cutoff point, especially if it’s the first pregnancy. ... read more »

What Your Bruises During Pregnancy Might Mean

The occasional bruise is no reason to get worried, but if you’re getting black and blue after minor bangs and bumps it could mean that you have thrombocytopenia. ... read more »

Pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) and Diseases (STD)

Sexually transmitted infections and diseases affect more than 2 million women every year. This number can only be tallied by the number of women who are treated or diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease. ... read more »

What Is Placenta Previa?

A placenta previa is a placenta that is implanted at or close to the internal os (mouth) of the cervix.
 Placenta previa happens in about 1 in 200 pregnancies. ... read more »

Preeclampsia During Pregnancy and Postpartum

Preeclampsia is a life-threatening medical condition that typically occurs during the second half of pregnancy. The major signs of preeclampsia are high blood pressure and protein in the urine. ... read more »

Pica in Pregnancy Non-Food Craving

Pica is the practice of craving substances with little or no nutritional value. No, we are not talking about ice cream! Most pica cravings involve non-food substances such as dirt or chalk. The word pica is Latin for magpie which is a bird notorious for eating almost anything. ... read more »

Pregnancy Complications And How To Prevent Them

During regular check-ups doctors check for proper fetal growth and development, but they are also looking for symptoms that may be associated with the 10 most common pregnancy complications. ... read more »

Drug Abuse, Fertility and Pregnancy Complications

According to the March of Dimes, nearly 4 percent of the pregnant women in the United States use illicit drugs. Using illegal substances such as marijuana, cocaine, Ecstasy, or heroin can have serious health consequences for pregnant women and their babies. ... read more »

Bed Rest During Pregnancy

There is no solid scientific evidence that bed rest during pregnancy works in most cases, and in some cases it may even hurt. ... read more »

Thyroid to Blame for Some Pregnancy Complications

Researchers now believe that the thyroid may be responsible for some major complications during pregnancy. The thyroid is not currently a part of the screening processes that take place in the first trimester, but that could possibly change in the very near future. ... read more »

What Are the Risk Factors for Placenta Previa?

A placenta previa is a placenta that covers the cervix. There are several risk factors that increase the chance of a placenta previa. ... read more »

Pregnancy and Neck Pain

Neck pain is among the most common complaints in pregnancy. ... read more »

Cervical Insufficiency

Cervical insufficiency is the premature widening and thinning of the cervix. If left untreated, cervical insufficiency can lead to premature birth and miscarriage. ... read more »

What Is HELLP Syndrome?

HELLP Syndrome is a serious, life-threatening complication of pregnancy that occurs in less than 1 percent of all pregnancies in the U.S. Pregnant women who have high blood pressure and develop severe preeclampsia or eclampsia, however, have a higher risk. ... read more »

Post Term Pregnancy

When a pregnancy goes postdates and lasts beyond the 42nd week, the size of baby, integrity of the placenta and the possibility of baby having a bowel movement in-utero are all of great concern to the attending obstetrician. ... read more »

Overcoming Sleep Deprivation

It's a simple biological fact: babies simply cannot sleep through the night. Sleep deprivation is like spending money from a bank account that has no funds. Eventually, mom and dad will have to pay back the loan or face very real health-related consequences. ... read more »

Angelman Syndrome (AS)

Angelman Syndrome (AS) is a rare genetic neurological disorder characterized by developmental delay, intellectual disability, severe speech impairment, small head size (microcephaly), hypotonia (reduced muscle strength), scoliosis, and ataxia (difficulties with coordination, balance and spasticity). ... read more »

Alpers Disease

 Alpers disease is a progressive, neurodevelopmental syndrome characterized by psychomotor regression (dementia), seizures, and liver disease.  A mutation in the gene for the mitochondrial DNA polymerase POLG causes this disease.  ... read more »

Pregnancy and HIV

Getting pregnant when a woman is HIV+ can be a tough decision to make if the woman already knows her status. If she doesn't, there are still ways to protect the baby. ... read more »

Enzyme May Hold Key to Brain Damage Treatment

During childbirth, the infant may spend a significant amount of time in the birth canal. If too much time passes, the infant may suffer from birth asphyxia. Birth asphyxia occurs when the brain does not get enough oxygen during childbirth. ... read more »

Preterm Birth Survival and Disability Data

When a preterm delivery is expected, parental counseling should be based on accurate data regarding survival rates and the likelihood of major disability among survivors at the given gestational age. ... read more »

Uterus Mullerian Anomalies

An abnormal uterus can have different shapes like unicornuate bicornuate didelphus and septate uterus. ... read more »

Perinatal Outcome: Immune Thrombocytopenia and Pregnancy

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune disorder that can happen in pregnancy and which leads to premature destruction of antibody-coated platelets. This study from Iran published in July of 2012 evaluated perinatal outcome and medications used for pregnancies complicated by ITP. ... read more »

Eating Disorders Fertility and Pregnancy

Eating disorders are mental illnesses that affect a person's emotions, attitudes and behaviors surrounding food and weight. ... read more »

Amniotic Fluid Issues: Too Little, Too Much

Amniotic fluid is usually derived from baby's urine and it is inside this protective sac that your baby lives inside your uterus. Amniotic fluid serves many purposes, all for your baby's protection. ... read more »

Understanding Placenta Creta, Accreta, Increta, and Percreta

A placenta creta, accreta, increta, or percreta is a placenta that grows during pregnancy into or through the uterus. Having this condition is life-threatening and requires expert medical care. ... read more »

Fetal Growth Issues

The majority of the babies born every day are of normal weight and normal length but the fluctuation in birth weight can be astounding. There are certain reasons for smaller and bigger babies. ... read more »

Abnormal Labor

Abnormal labor is a broadly-defined condition that can indicate a particular part of the labor process is not occurring under normal circumstances. ... read more »

Cyclopia: The One-Eyed Baby

Cyclopia is an extremely rare birth defect where the baby is born with one eye or two eyes on the forehead of the baby. ... read more »

Maternal-Fetal Medicine High Risk Pregnancy

Maternal-Fetal Medicine (also known as high risk pregnancy) is a sub-specialty within Obstetrics and Gynecology that involves pregnancies at risk for complications. ... read more »

Molar Pregnancy - H Mole Or Hydatidiform Mole

A molar pregnancy is also known as a hydatidiform mole (H.Mole) A molar predgnancy is a benign tumor that develops in the uterus, usually from a fetus and a placenta. ... read more »

Fetal Cardiac Arrhythmia

It is not usual for the fetus to have an irregular heart beat (cardiac arrhthmia) during pregnancy. More often than not it is a benign condition, though it requires further tests when it is observed. ... read more »

What is Impaired Fecundity?

Impaired fecundity is the term used for couples who have trouble conceiving or carry a baby in utero once conception occurs. ... read more »

Subchorionic Hematoma

A subchorionic hematoma (also known as subchorionic bleeding) is a space of fluid collection, presumably blood, between the gestational sac, usually the placenta, and the uterine wall. ... read more »

Cesarean Hysterectomy - Removal of the Uterus

A hysterectomy is surgery to remove the uterus. ... read more »

Glucose Tests During Pregnancy Predicts Future Heart Disease

Pregnancy glucose levels could be predictive of future cardiovascular disease (CVD). ... read more »

Fetal Hydronephrosis

Possible causes of fetal Hydronephrosis. ... read more »

Abruptio Placentae (Placental Abruption)

An abruptio placentae (i.e. placental abruption) is the separation of the normally located placenta before the baby is born and after the 20th week of the pregnancy. ... read more »

Postpartum Hemorrhage

Postpartum hemorrhage or bleeding is defined as the loss of more than 500 mL of blood after delivery. Postpartum hemorrhage occurs in up to 1 in 5 births. ... read more »

DiGeorge Syndrome

When a small section from the middle of Chromosome 22 is missing, DiGeorge Syndrome occurs. The disorder happens in one of 4,000 pregnancies. DiGeorge Syndrome was discovered in 1968 by  Angelo DiGeorge. ... read more »

Trisomy 13 - Patau Syndrome

Trisomy 13 syndrome is a disorder of human chromosomes which occurs in approximately 1 in 10,000 live born infants. Trisomy 13 is due to the presence of an extra #13 chromosome. ... read more »

Single Umbilical Artery

There are usually three vessels in the umbilical cord: two arteries and one vein. Having one, rather than two, arteries (Single umbilical artery = SUA or two-vessel cord) is the most common malformation of the umbilical cord . ... read more »

Transabdominal or Abdominal Cerclage and Pregnancy

A cerclage is the placement of a stitch usually around the cervix during pregnancy. This is done to prevent premature dilatation of the cervix and premature birth in cases where the cervix is thought to be weak. A cerclage is uaully done through the vagina as a "vaginal cerclage". Occasionally, the cerclage is placed as a transabdominal or abdominal cerclage. ... read more »

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