Pregnancy Complications

Woman experiencing dehydration during her pregnancy

Dehydration During Pregnancy

Should you be concerned about dehydration during pregnancy? The answer is yes. Dehydration is the result of your body losing water faster than you are taking it in. Dehydration is…

Pregnant mother experiencing a sharp pain in her abdomen

Sharp Pain During Pregnancy

Is a sharp pain during pregnancy normal? During pregnancy, your body will undergo many changes as it adapts to the growing life inside of you. You will gain weight and your…

Image representing epilepsy and pregnancy

Epilepsy is a chronic disorder or group of disorders characterized by recurrent, unpredictable seizures. A seizure is a temporary physiological dysfunction of the brain, in which neurons will produce excessive…

Umbilical Cord Prolapse

During the last few weeks of pregnancy you may begin to worry more about the health and well-being of your unborn baby. In order to be sure of your baby’s…

Fetal Arrhythmia

What is fetal arrhythmia? Fetal arrhythmia is a term that refers to any abnormality in the heart rate of your baby. These can include tachycardia–an increased heart rate–or bradycardia, which…

Genital Warts During Pregnancy

What are the symptoms of genital warts during pregnancy? Is my baby safe if I have genital warts while pregnant? How do you treat genital warts during pregnancy? These are…

Blood Clots During Pregnancy

Blood clots are serious concerns and even more so while you are pregnant. A blood clot during pregnancy has additional risks or concerns because of your developing baby. The good…

Flu During Pregnancy

During pregnancy changes occur in your immune system, heart, and lungs. Additional stress is put on the heart and lungs as the lung capacity decreases and heart rate increases during…

Gonorrhea During Pregnancy

During pregnancy, in order to protect your growing baby, one of the most important things prioritizes your health. This can be more of a challenge for women who have sexually…

An image displaying the effects on second hand smoking and pregnancy

Second Hand Smoke and Pregnancy

All women are advised to quit smoking when they become pregnant; however, research has shown simply quitting is not enough to eliminate the risks associated with exposure to cigarettes. Many…

Woman dealing with syphilis during her pregnancy

Syphilis During Pregnancy

Pregnancy can be a very fun and exciting time for expecting mothers and families, but along with that excitement can be many sources of stress, such as the state of…

High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy

High blood pressure is a serious concern during pregnancy, especially for women who have chronic hypertension. Chronic hypertension refers to high blood pressure which is already present before pregnancy. It…

Fifth Disease During Pregnancy

What is Fifth Disease? Fifth disease is a contagious infection that is caused by the human parvovirus B19 and spread through coughing, sneezing, or bodily fluids. How common is Fifth…

Sinus Infection While Pregnant

Sinus pressure, a stuffy nose, and a sore throat? Welcome to a sinus infection during pregnancy. Sinus infections while pregnant at the same time makes being sick even worse. Sinusitis…

Pregnant woman experiencing abdominal pains

Abdominal Pain During Pregnancy

Abdominal pain during pregnancy can be a normal part of the process as your body changes to accommodate your growing baby. While there are many harmless causes of abdominal pain…

Pregnant woman washing hands to avoid sickness

Getting Sick While Pregnant

Getting sick is never fun, but getting sick while pregnant is even worse. It is common for the immune system to weaken while you are pregnant, which makes you more…

Mother visiting the doctor due to her couch during pregnancy

Cough and Cold During Pregnancy

When you become pregnant, your immune system is likely to change. As a result of these changes, you may contract a cold or a cough at some point during your…

Hip Pain During Pregnancy

Hip pain during pregnancy is a common symptom that you may experience. This discomfort is most often felt late in pregnancy, specifically during the third trimester. This occurs because your…

Woman who is dealing with diabetes during her pregnancy

Diabetes During Pregnancy

Diabetes is a serious disease in which your body cannot properly control the amount of sugar in your blood because it does not have enough insulin. Diabetes is the most…

Hernia During Pregnancy

A hernia refers to a medical condition that happens when part of an internal organ protrudes externally through an opening in a muscle. The most common locations for hernias…

Strep Throat During Pregnancy

Rest assured you are not alone if questioning strep throat during pregnancy. No one wants strep throat at any time, but pregnant moms don’t need the additional struggles. There is…

Woman with a yeast infection during pregnancy

Yeast Infections During Pregnancy

Yeast infections during pregnancy are more common than any other time in a woman’s life, especially during the second trimester of pregnancy. You may be noticing an increase in the amount of…

Pregnant woman with urinary tract infection

Urinary Tract Infection During Pregnancy

A urinary tract infection (UTI), also called bladder infection, is a bacterial inflammation in the urinary tract. Pregnant women are at increased risk for UTI’s starting in week 6 through week 24….

Toxoplasmosis

The solid wastes (feces) of cats may contain a parasite called toxoplasma gondii that can cause toxoplasmosis, a rare but serious blood infection. Toxoplasmosis can also be contracted by eating…

Sexually transmitted diseases during pregnancy

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STD’s & STI’s) During Pregnancy

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STD’s & STI’s) During Pregnancy Bacterial STI’S – Infections that are curable Infection Risks (M=Mom; B=Baby) Method of Transfer Treatment Gonorrhea M – Can result in ectopic…

Rh Factor

Each person’s blood is one of four major types: A, B, AB, or O. Blood types are determined by the types of antigens on the blood cells. Antigens are proteins…

Preeclampsia : Toxemia

Preeclampsia is a condition that occurs only during pregnancy. Diagnoses is made by the combination of high blood pressure and protein in the urine, occurring after week 20 of pregnancy….

Placental Abruption : Abruptio Placentae

Placental abruption is the separation of the placenta from the uterine lining. This condition usually occurs in the third trimester but can occur any time after the 20th week of…

Placenta Previa

Placenta Previa is a condition where the placenta lies low in the uterus and partially or completely covers the cervix. The placenta may separate from the uterine wall as the…

Placenta Accreta

The placenta normally attaches to the uterine wall, however there is a condition that occurs where the placenta attaches itself too deeply into the wall of the uterus. This condition…

Molar Pregnancy

A molar pregnancy is an abnormality of the placenta, caused by a problem when the egg and sperm join together at fertilization. Molar pregnancies are rare, occurring in 1 out…

Miscarriage

Miscarriage, is a term used fora pregnancy that ends on its own, within the first 20 weeks of gestation. The medical terms used to identify this potential complication or loss gives…

Low Amniotic Fluid Levels: Oligohydramnios

The amniotic fluid is part of the baby’s life support system. It protects your baby and aids in the development of muscles, limbs, lungs and digestive system. Amniotic fluid is produced soon after the…

Deli meat can cause listeria to pregnant women

Listeria and Pregnancy

During pregnancy, it is important to be aware of what you put inside your body. You should be aware of what is good to eat and also what is not so good…

Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR); Small for Gestational Age (SGA)

The most common definition of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is a fetal weight that is below the 10th percentile for gestational age as determined through an ultrasound. This can also be called small-for gestational…

Incompetent Cervix : Weakened Cervix

During pregnancy, as the baby grows and gets heavier, it presses on the cervix. This pressure may cause the cervix to start to open before the baby is ready to be…

Hyperemesis Gravidarum

Hyperemesis gravidarum is a condition characterized by severe nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and electrolyte disturbance. Mild cases are treated with dietary changes, rest and antacids. More severe cases often require a stay in…

HIV/AIDS During Pregnancy

According to the March of Dimes, there are an estimated 120,000 to 160,000 women in the United States who have been infected with HIV. About 6,000 to 7,000 of women…

HELLP Syndrome

HELLP Syndrome is a series of symptoms that make up a syndrome that can affect pregnant women. HELLP syndrome is thought to be a variant of preeclampsia, but it may…

Group B Strep Infection: GBS

Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a type of bacterial infection that can be found in a pregnant woman’s vagina or rectum. This bacteria is normally found in the vagina and/or rectum…

Gestational Hypertension: Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH)

Gestational hypertension, also referred to sometimes as pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) is a condition of high blood pressure during pregnancy. Gestational hypertension can lead to a serious condition called preeclampsia (also sometimes…

Gestational Diabetes

All expectant mothers will be tested for gestational diabetes at some point during their pregnancy. Expecting mothers who are over the age of 35, over weight, or have a family history of…

Fetal Growth Restriction; Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR); Small for Gestational Age

The most common definition of fetal growth restriction is a fetal weight that is below the 10th percentile for gestational age as determined through an ultrasound. This can also be called small-for gestational…

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD);Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can result in a number of different physical, neurological and mental effects that range in severity. These effects fall under the term “Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)”, which encompasses…

Ectopic Pregnancy

An ectopic pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg attaches itself in a place other than inside the uterus. Almost all ectopic pregnancies occur in a fallopian tube, and are thus sometimes called…

Pregnant woman undergoing a D&C procedure

D&C Procedure After a Miscarriage

Unfortunately, miscarriage is the most common type of pregnancy loss, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Studies reveal that anywhere from 10-25% of all clinically recognized pregnancies will end…

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a virus that can be transmitted to a developing child before birth. CMV infection is usually harmless and rarely causes illness. For most healthy persons who acquire CMV after…

Concerns Regarding Early Fetal Development

The development of a baby is quite an intricate journey. From the moment that the egg and sperm meet, a baby is beginning the developmental process. This early part of development lays…

Most Common Pregnancy Complications

There are several things that may cause a complication in your pregnancy. However, some are more common than others. Below is a list of the most common pregnancy complications: Ectopic Pregnancy: Ectopic…

Cholestasis of Pregnancy

Some women experience a very severe itching in late pregnancy. The most common cause of this is cholestasis, a common liver disease that only happens in pregnancy. Cholestasis of pregnancy is…

Chicken Pox and Pregnancy

When you become pregnant you want to do everything you can to stay healthy. Unfortunately, it is sometimes impossible to protect yourself from every illness out there. Chicken pox is a highly…

Cervical Cerclage

When a woman’s cervix is weak (sometimes called an incompetent cervix) she is more likely to have a baby born prematurely because the cervix shortens or opens too early. In order…

Blighted Ovum

What is a blighted ovum? A blighted ovum (also known as “anembryonic pregnancy”) happens when a fertilized egg attaches itself to the uterine wall, but the embryo does not develop. Cells…

Bleeding During Pregnancy

Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy can occur frequently in the first trimester of pregnancy and may not be a sign of problems. But bleeding that occurs in the second and third trimester of…

Bed Rest

Bed rest is a common practice during pregnancy to alleviate certain pregnancy complications. Some women know it is coming because of medical history, whereas others are surprised during a routine checkup. Bed rest…

Bacterial Vaginosis During Pregnancy

Approximately 10% – 30% of pregnant women will experience Bacterial vaginosis (BV) during their pregnancy. Bacterial vaginosis is caused by an imbalance in the normal bacteria that exists in a woman’s vagina. It…

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