Concerns and Complications

Diabetes that develops for the first time in pregnancy is called gestational diabetes and affects between two and seven percent of pregnant women. In this condition, the pancreas produces insufficient insulin to move glucose (sugar) from the bloo...

Premature labor The normal length of pregnancy is 37 to 42 weeks. A baby born before 37 weeks is called premature or preterm (see Premature Birth). Fetal distress During labor, the baby is monitored for signs of distress, which can indicate t...

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), more than half of twin births in the U.S occur preterm. It's important to know the signs of preterm labor in a multiple pregnancy so that you can get help in time. There are some clues, but t...

This occurs when a fertilized egg implants outside of the uterine cavity. The vast majority of ectopic pregnancies are in the fallopian tube, but they can occur on an ovary, in the cervix, or in the abdominal cavity at the site of a previous cesa...

Your baby may be born prematurely either because an early delivery is advised on medical grounds, or you go into spontaneous preterm labor. The earlier the birth, the higher the chance of complications in the baby, such as breathing problems or i...

An early miscarriage is usually due to a problem such as a chromosomal or structural abnormality in the fetus. It may also be caused by a fibroid (a non-cancerous growth in the uterus), an infection, or an immune system disorder. Miscarriage occu...

Your baby's lungs won't be fully developed until late in pregnancy, but the foundations are being laid down right now. ...

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Different terms are used to describe miscarriage, depending on what is found during an ultrasound scan or an internal examination.Threatened miscarriage is the term given to bleeding early in pregnancy, but in which the cervix remains closed. In ...

Taking medications during pregnancyDuring the first three months of pregnancy, it's best to avoid all over-the-counter medications. Once you are past the first trimester, some other medications are considered safe, but always consult your doctor ...

Whether you have a preexisting medical condition, or acquire an illness or infection during pregnancy, always consult your doctor before taking medication or before stopping any prescribed medication.If you have a condition such as high blood pre...

Your baby todayThe embryo, still less than 3 mm long, now has a deep and narrow groove extending along its entire length. This groove will soon become so deep and its edges will curl over so much that it forms into a tube running along the length...

I'm asthmatic. Can I use my inhalers during pregnancy?It's essential that you keep asthma under control in pregnancy, which means continuing to use your inhalers, since the risks from uncontrolled asthma are greater than any risk from taking asth...

When you're pregnant, your immune system is slightly suppressed. This is necessary to stop you from rejecting the baby, who is genetically half the father's! This means that you may be slightly more susceptible to common problems such as colds, c...

Exposure to chickenpox or rubellaChickenpox in pregnancy can cause problems for the baby and can be severe in a pregnant woman, possibly leading to pneumonia. If you contract rubella for the first time in early pregnancy, it can cause miscarriage...

Your baby todayBy now the fetus's forehead is high and bulging, with visible joins in the plates of bone that comprise the skull. The eyes have migrated from the sides of the head at this stage of development. ...

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Your baby todayYour baby's heart will beat quite fast, at between 110 and 160 beats every minute. Even after birth, your baby's heart will continue to beat at this speed. It will be several years before the heart rate is 70 or so beats per minute...