Complications of Pregnancy

Complications list for Pregnancy:

The list of complications that have been mentioned in various sources for Pregnancy includes:

• Morning sickness
• Miscarriage
• Premature delivery (see Small baby)
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Migraine - some women first get migraines when they are pregnant.
• Separated Rectus Abdominal Muscles
• Breech pregnancy
• Bladder Incontinence (Pregnancy)
• Dull mental function (see Cognitive impairment)
• Forgetfulness
• Constipation
• Hemorrhoids - these are common in pregnancy, but are usually temporary.
• Abruptio Placentae
• Anemia
• Pregnancy-associated osteoporosis
• Childbirth - and childbirth also causes various complications:
  • Episiotomy
• Infant complications after childbirth (see Birth symptoms)
  • Prematurity
  • Stillbirth
  • Neonatal lupus
  • Fetal alcohol syndrome
• Mother complications after childbirth (see Pregnancy symptoms)
  • Baby blues (see Depressive symptoms)
  • Postpartum depression (type of Depression)
  • Postpartum psychosis
  • Separated Rectus Abdominal Muscles
  • Postpartum thyroiditis - thyroid swelling in about 5-7% of pregnancies.

See also the symptoms of Pregnancy and Pregnancy: Introduction.

Complications and sequelae of Pregnancy from the Diseases Database include:

• Intrauterine death
• Polyhydramnios
• Dystocia
• Teratogenesis
• Foetal malposition
• Macrosomia
• Premature labour & delivery
• Intrauterine growth retardation
• Birth hypoxia
• Red cell production reduced
• Perinatal morbidity
• Left ventricular hypertrophy
• Hyperfibrinogenemia
• Herpes gestationis
• Fourth heart sound
• Palmar erythema
• Hypercholesterolaemia
• Glycosuria
• Telangiectasia
• Amenorrhoea
• Cytochrome P450 induction
• Hepatic steatosis
• Pre-eclampsia
• Galactorrhoea-Hyperprolactinaemia
• Oedema
• Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy
• Telogen effluvium
• Hypertriglyceridaemia
• Sex hormone binding globulin raised (serum)
• Back pain
• Hyponatraemia
• Premature membrane rupture
• Breathlessness
• Chadwick's sign
• Varicose veins
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Transferrin levels raised (serum)
• Urea levels low (plasma or serum)
• Low density lipoprotein levels raised (serum or plasma)
• Iron deficiency
• Thyroid hormone binding globulin levels raised (serum)
• T wave inversion
• Postpartum thyroiditis
• Maternal hypotension syndrome
• Thrombophilia
• Alkaline phosphatase placental isoenzyme levels raised (plasma or serum)
• ESR raised
• Urine retention
• Polymorphic eruption of pregnancy
• Hyperemesis gravidarum
• Placenta praevia
• Folate deficiency
• Third heart sound
• Weight gain
• Mastalgia
• Creatinine levels low (plasma or serum)
• VDRL positive
• Lactosuria
• Caeruloplasmin levels raised (serum)
• Human chorionic gonadotrophin levels raised (serum)
• Striae gravidarum
• Pruritus
• Constipation
• Macrocytosis (erythrocyte)
• Uterine enlargement
• Choreoathetosis
• Incontinence, urine
• Uterine rupture
• Alpha fetoprotein levels raised (serum)
• Chloasma
• Hyperpigmentation

See also the symptoms of Pregnancy and Pregnancy: Introduction.

Complications of Pregnancy:

STDs and Pregnancy: DSTD (Excerpt)

Women who are pregnant can become infected with the same sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) as women who are not pregnant.  Pregnancy does not provide women or their babies any protection against STDs.  In fact, the consequences of an STD can be significantly more serious--even life threatening--for a woman and her baby if the woman becomes infected with an STD while she is pregnant.  As the list of diseases known to be sexually transmitted continues to grow, it is increasingly important that women be aware of the harmful effects of these diseases and know how to protect themselves and their children against infection. (Source: excerpt from STDs and Pregnancy: DSTD)

High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy: NHLBI (Excerpt)

Although many pregnant women with high blood pressure have healthy babies without serious problems, high blood pressure can be dangerous for both the mother and the fetus. Women with pre-existing, or chronic, high blood pressure are more likely to have certain complications during pregnancy than those with normal blood pressure. However, some women develop high blood pressure while they are pregnant (often called gestational hypertension). (Source: excerpt from High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy: NHLBI)

Pregnancy and Medications: NWHIC (Excerpt)

According to the New England Journal of Medicine, an estimated 10 to 45 percent of pregnant women in the first trimester, unaware of their condition, reach for the most common OTC drug, aspirin. Aspirin and other drugs containing salicylate are not recommended throughout pregnancy, especially during the last three months, except under a doctor's supervision. Acetylsalicylate, a common ingredient in many OTC painkillers, may prolong pregnancy and cause excessive bleeding before and after delivery. (Source: excerpt from Pregnancy and Medications: NWHIC)

Pregnancy Symptoms: Book Excerpts

• Signs and symptoms - Abortion
• Signs and symptoms - Adolescent pregnancy
• Signs and symptoms - Cardiovascular disease in pregnancy
• Signs and symptoms - Pregnancy-induced hypertension
• Signs and symptoms - Diabetic complications during pregnancy
• Signs and symptoms - Ectopic pregnancy
• Signs and symptoms - Abortion
• Signs and symptoms - Cardiovascular disease in pregnancy
• Signs and symptoms - Hypertension, pregnancy-induced
• Signs and symptoms - Diabetic complications during pregnancy

Medical news summaries about complications of Pregnancy:

The following medical news items are relevant to complications of Pregnancy:

• Acne medication may have contributed to suicide
• Asymptomatic infection may be the cause of pre-term births
• Long term effects of antidepressants being investigated
• Miracle baby for cancer victim
• Miscarriage influenced by excess weight
• Study of acne treatment causing depression
• More news »

Complication statistics for Pregnancy:

The following are statistics from various sources about the complications of Pregnancy:

• Poorly controlled diabetes before conception and during first trimester of pregnancy can cause major birth defects in 5-10% of pregnancies in the US 2001 (National Diabetes Statistics fact sheet, NIDDK, 2003)
• Poorly controlled diabetes during 2nd and third trimester of pregnancy can cause overly large babies in the US 2001 (National Diabetes Statistics fact sheet, NIDDK, 2003)
• Poorly controlled diabetes before conception and during first trimester of pregnancy can cause spontaneous abortions in 15-20% of pregnancies in the US 2001 (National Diabetes Statistics fact sheet, NIDDK, 2003)

You may also want to research other symptoms in our Symptoms Center.

About complications:

Complications of Pregnancy are secondary conditions, symptoms, or other disorders that are caused by Pregnancy. In many cases the distinction between symptoms of Pregnancy and complications of Pregnancy is unclear or arbitrary.

 » Next page: Misdiagnosis of Pregnancy

Rate This Website

What do you think about the features of this website? Take our user survey and have your say:

Website User Survey

Medical Tools & Articles:

Next articles:

• Misdiagnosis of Pregnancy
• Undiagnosed Pregnancy
• Misdiagnosis of Underlying Causes of Pregnancy
• Misdiagnosis of Medication Causes of Pregnancy
• Medical Malpractice and Pregnancy

Tools & Services:

• Bookmark this page
• Take a survey relating to Pregnancy
• Symptom Search
• Symptom Checker
• Medical Dictionary
• Give your feedback

Medical Articles:

• Disease & Treatments Search
• Misdiagnosis Center
• Full list of interesting articles

Forums & Message Boards

• Ask or answer a question at the Boards:
• I cannot get a diagnosis. Please help.
• Tell us your medical story.
• Share your misdiagnosis story.
• What is the best treatment for my condition?
• See all the Boards.

Enter your search terms Submit search form
Search The Web Search wrongdiagnosis.com

Common Health Mistakes

Symptom
Checker

Search Specialists by State and City