Common Complications of Pregnancy

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While there are a number of things that can complicate your pregnancy, there are a few that are most common. Common complications of pregnancy include ectopic pregnancies and preterm labor, explained below.

Preterm Labor
Preterm labor is one of the most common complications of pregnancy and your risk may be higher if you smoke, are above 35 or have other health conditions. Preterm labor is defined as the mother’s body trying to deliver a child before full-term, which is 37 weeks. If you’re having contractions that get closer, longer and stronger, you may be at risk of delivering your baby too soon. Preterm labor can also feel like a backache or menstrual cramping and may have serious health concerns for your child. Your doctor may recommend medication to prevent labor or bed rest to help the pregnancy reach full-term, or get as close as possible.

Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is a form of temporary diabetes that can develop during pregnancy if your body is not producing enough insulin. It usually appears in the second trimester and must be treated through diet and insulin, not pills.

Low Birth Weight
Low birth weight is one of the common complications of pregnancy that can have many causes. Low birth weight may be caused by smoking, drugs, alcohol or poor nutrition. It can also be caused by contagious disease or a lack of prenatal care. Babies born with a low birth weight are typically premature, which often requires a stay at the hospital for up to four months. Babies with a low birth weight may also have health problems including respiratory infections, learning disabilities, heart infections, cerebral palsy and even blindness.

Group B Strep
Group B strep is one of the most common complications of pregnancy that causes the most infections in newborns. Different than group A strep, which causes strep throat, group B step can be detected by a doctor through cultures taken in the weeks leading up to birth. It can be treated shortly before birth or during labor with antibiotics to prevent infection in the baby.

Ectopic Pregnancy
This type of pregnancy can be caused by an STD or an infection, such as pelvic inflammatory disease. Women who have been diagnosed with endometriosis or reproductive disorders are also at risk for this complication. When a fallopian tube gets narrow or tight, an egg may become fertilized outside of the uterus, in the tube. This is where the term “tubal pregnancy” comes from. Ectopic pregnancy can cause heavy bleeding, intense pain and dizziness and is considered very life-threatening. Medications and emergency surgery are typical treatments.

Rh Negative Disease
Finally, this is another one of the common complications of pregnancy that can have serious life-threatening consequences. Your blood’s Rh factor is determined by the number of proteins surrounding your red blood cells. Without this protein, you’re considered Rh negative. If the mother is Rh negative and her child is Rh positive, her body will build up antibodies to protect against the baby’s Rh positive blood. During the early stages of pregnancy, you will be monitored to see if the baby’s blood has been affected by your antibodies. RhoGAM medication is usually given around 28 weeks to prevent the build-up of antibodies, and then again at birth.