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Summary
Every pregnancy has some risk of problems. The causes can be conditions you already have or conditions you develop. They also include being pregnant with more than one baby, previous problem pregnancies, or being over age 35. They can affect your health and the health of your baby.
If you have a chronic condition, you should talk to your health care provider about how to minimize your risk before you get pregnant. Once you are pregnant, you may need a health care team to monitor your pregnancy. Examples of common conditions that can complicate a pregnancy include
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Kidney problems
- Autoimmune disorders
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Infections
Other conditions that can make pregnancy risky can happen while you are pregnant - for example, gestational diabetes and Rh incompatibility. Good prenatal care can help detect and treat them.
Some discomforts, like nausea, back pain, and fatigue, are common during pregnancy. Sometimes it is hard to know what is normal. Call your doctor or midwife if something is bothering or worrying you.
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High-Risk Pregnancy
(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
- Pregnancy Complications (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Pregnancy Complications (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) Available in Spanish
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What Are the Factors That Put a Pregnancy at Risk?
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What Health Problems Can Develop during Pregnancy?
Latest News
- Obesity Before Pregnancy Tied to Raised Risk of Newborn Death (01/22/2016, HealthDay)
- Rare Nervous System Disorder Can Put Pregnancy At Risk (11/18/2015, HealthDay)
Diagnosis and Tests
- Bleeding during Pregnancy (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - PDF Available in Spanish
- Estrogen Test (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
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MedlinePlus: Prenatal Testing
- Progesterone Test (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
Prevention and Risk Factors
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Who Is at Increased Risk of Health Problems during Pregnancy?
Living With
- Surviving Bed Rest (Nemours Foundation) Available in Spanish
Related Issues
- Anesthesia during Pregnancy (Columbia University, College of Dental Medicine)
- Asthma, Allergies and Pregnancy (American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology) Available in Spanish
- Depression and Pregnancy (Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) - PDF Available in Spanish
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Does Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Affect Pregnancy?
- Epilepsy and Pregnancy (American Academy of Family Physicians) Available in Spanish
- Gaucher Disease in Pregnancy (Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) - PDF Available in Spanish
- Heart Conditions and Pregnancy: Know the Risks (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Pregnancy (Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) - PDF Available in Spanish
- Pregnancy and IC (Interstitial Cystitis Association)
- Pregnancy and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders)
- Pregnancy and Reproductive Issues (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)
- Pregnancy and Rheumatic Disease (American College of Rheumatology)
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Pregnancy and Thyroid Disease
- Pregnancy Complications: Liver Disorders (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) Available in Spanish
- Psoriasis: Pregnancy and Nursing (National Psoriasis Foundation)
- Seizure Disorders in Pregnancy (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - PDF
- Things to Consider If You Have MG and Are Thinking about Getting Pregnant (Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America) - PDF
- Thinking about Pregnancy After Premature Birth (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
- What You Should Know about Sickle Cell Disease and Pregnancy (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF
Specifics
- Abdominal Pain or Cramping (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
- Acute Pancreatitis and Pregnancy (National Pancreas Foundation)
- Back Pain During Pregnancy (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
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Blood Clotting and Pregnancy
(American Society of Hematology)
- Congestion and Nosebleeds (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
- Double Uterus (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Fatigue (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) Available in Spanish
- Gas (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) Available in Spanish
- Having a Baby after Age 35 (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
- Headaches during Pregnancy: What's the Best Treatment? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Heartburn and Indigestion (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) Available in Spanish
- Hemorrhoids (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) Available in Spanish
- Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) (HER Foundation)
- Hyperthermia and Pregnancy (Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) - PDF Available in Spanish
- Intrauterine Growth Restriction (American Academy of Family Physicians) Available in Spanish
- Leg Cramps during Pregnancy (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) Available in Spanish
- Morning Sickness: Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
- Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy (NVP) (Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) - PDF
- Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (American Heart Association) - PDF
- Pregnancy Complications: Anemia (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) Available in Spanish
- Pregnancy Complications: Cervical Insufficiency (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) Available in Spanish
- Pregnancy Complications: Placental Abruption (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
- Pregnancy Complications: Placental Accreta, Increta and Percreta (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
- Pregnancy Complications: Umbilical Cord Abnormalities (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
- Skin Conditions during Pregnancy (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - PDF
- Sleeping Problems during Pregnancy (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
- Swelling during Pregnancy (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
- Why Do Abdominal Muscles Sometimes Separate during Pregnancy? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Will Stress during Pregnancy Affect My Baby?
Images
- Linea Nigra (Logical Images)
- PUPPP (Pruritic Urticarial Papules Plaques of Pregnancy) (Logical Images)
- Stretch Marks of Pregnancy (Striae of Pregnancy) (Logical Images)
Health Check Tools
- Vaginal Bleeding in Pregnancy (DSHI Systems)
Statistics and Research
- Do Newborns Have More Complications When Mom Has Asthma? (American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology)
- FastStats: Birthweight and Gestation (National Center for Health Statistics)
- PeriStats: Perinatal Statistics (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Pregnancy Complications
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Pregnancy, High-Risk
Journal ArticlesReferences and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Find an Expert
- March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation Available in Spanish
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National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- womenshealth.gov (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) Available in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Bed rest during pregnancy Available in Spanish
- Hydramnios Available in Spanish
- Hyperemesis gravidarum Available in Spanish
- Insufficient cervix Available in Spanish
- Morning sickness Available in Spanish
- Morning sickness Available in Spanish
- Placenta abruptio Available in Spanish
- Placenta abruptio Available in Spanish
- Placenta previa Available in Spanish
- Polyhydramnios Available in Spanish
- Serum progesterone Available in Spanish
- Striae Available in Spanish
- Vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy Available in Spanish
- Vaginal bleeding in late pregnancy Available in Spanish
- Vaginal bleeding in pregnancy Available in Spanish