Many first time moms will admit that getting pregnant temporarily turned them into highly paranoid hypochondriacs. Every small symptom becomes a trigger to google diseases, and WebMD suddenly becomes your best friend.
While some symptoms are more serious than others, there are also warnings signs that indicate potential complications. But don’t worry mama! We’ve got you covered.
Here are the 5 complications you need to watch out for during pregnancy.
Anemia – The symptoms of anemia include pale skin, lips, and nails, feeling tired or weak, dizziness, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, and trouble concentrating. This complication occurs when the mother has insufficient blood cells circulating in her body, which is fairly common due to the demands of a growing baby. Pregnant mothers may also develop iron deficiency anemia which can be treated with iron supplements. Foods rich with iron such as fish, spinach, red meat, and chicken are helpful in keeping this at bay.
Pre-eclampsia – The symptoms of preeclampisa include rapid weight gain, abdominal pain, severe headaches, change in reflexes, reduced urine or no urine output, dizziness, excessive vomiting and nausea, and vision changes. This is a common complication better known as pregnancy induced hypertension.
Apart from an increase in high blood pressure, it’s also characterized by the presence of protein in urine and the swelling of a mother’s legs and feet. This is more common in first time mothers. There is no accurate treatment for preeclampsia and most doctors agree that childbirth is the cure.
Gestational Diabetes – The symptoms of gestational diabetes are unusual thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, and sugar in the urine (detected by a medical test). This occurs when the mother does not produce enough insulin, causing blood sugar levels to become too high.
When a pregnant mother has gestational diabetes, her baby is at higher risk for breathing problems at birth, poor heart functions, newborn jaundice, and obesity.
Gestational diabetes usually develops in the second trimester when the baby’s demand of insulin increases. It is treated with proper diet or insulin.
Preterm Labor – The symptoms of preterm labor include prolonged backaches, frequent contractions, cramping, the release of fluids, flu-like symptoms, increased pressure in the pelvis, and bleeding. This occurs when the mother’s body attempts deliver the baby before the full term of 37 weeks.
Babies who are born pre-maturely experience problems such as difficulty in breathing due to the underdevelopment of their lungs, inefficiency in regulating body temperature, as well as poor suck during feeding.
Low birth weight – Low birth weight develops if the mother has poor nutrition, engages in substance use (drugs, alcohol, and smoking), has contracted a sexually transmitted disease, or is lacking in prenatal care. If a baby has a low birthweight, she is at increased risk for complications, and may have difficulty eating, putting on weight, fighting infections, and regulating her body temperature.
Feeling overwhelmed? We hear you. But the best news is that a healthy pregnancy is the basic defense for any complication.
Nine months of carrying a baby in one’s womb is never easy, but for as long as you do your best to maintain a healthy lifestyle and are committed to your regular visits to the ob-gynecologist, you can rest assured that you are doing your part. The best is yet to come! 😉