National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Health Problems in Pregnancy is the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine 
National Institutes of Health
Health Problems in Pregnancy
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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Start Here
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High-Risk Pregnancy(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
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High-Risk Pregnancy
The top row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
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Learn More
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Multimedia & Cool Tools
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For group Multimedia & Cool Tools
The bottom row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Research
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Reference Shelf
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For You
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Overviews
- Pregnancy Complications(Dept. of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
- Also available in Spanish
- Risk Factors Present Before Pregnancy(Merck & Co., Inc.)
- Risk Factors That Develop during Pregnancy(Merck & Co., Inc.)
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Latest News
- Simple Test Might Predict Whether Some Pregnancies Succeed(09/28/2012, HealthDay)
- Obese Pregnant Women with Sleep Apnea May Have More Delivery Complications(09/25/2012, HealthDay)
- Women Born Preterm May Face Pregnancy Risks(09/24/2012, HealthDay)
- More News on Health Problems in Pregnancy
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Diagnosis/Symptoms
- Bleeding during Pregnancy(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - PDF
- Estrogen Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
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MedlinePlus: Prenatal Testing(National Library of Medicine)
- Also available in Spanish
- Progesterone Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
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Coping
- Surviving Bed Rest(Nemours Foundation)
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Specific Conditions
- Abdominal Pain or Cramping(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
- Congestion and Nose Bleeds(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
- Diastasis Recti: How Does Pregnancy Affect Stomach Muscles?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Double Uterus(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Fatigue(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
- Gas(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
- Gaucher Disease in Pregnancy(Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) - PDF
- Heartburn and Indigestion(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
- Hemorrhoids during Pregnancy(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
- Intrauterine Growth Restriction(American Academy of Family Physicians)
- Also available in Spanish
- Maternal PKU and Pregnancy(Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) - PDF
- Also available in Spanish
- Mommy After 35(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
- Morning Sickness(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - PDF
- Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy (NVP)(Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) - PDF
- Placenta Accreta(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Pregnancy and Irritable Bowel Syndrome(International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders)
- Pregnancy and Obesity: Know the Risks(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Pregnancy Complications: Amniotic Fluid Abnormalities(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
- Pregnancy Complications: Anemia(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
- Pregnancy Complications: Cervical Insufficiency(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
- Pregnancy Complications: Placental Abruption(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
- Pregnancy Complications: Umbilical Cord Abnormalities(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
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Related Issues
- (Dental) Anesthesia during Pregnancy(Columbia University, College of Dental Medicine)
- Acute Pancreatitis and Pregnancy(National Pancreas Foundation)
- Asthma, Allergies and Pregnancy(American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology)
- Depression and Pregnancy(Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) - PDF
- Also available in Spanish
- Diethylstilbestrol (DES)(American Academy of Family Physicians)
- Also available in Spanish
- Epilepsy and Pregnancy(American Academy of Family Physicians)
- Also available in Spanish
- Headaches during Pregnancy: What's the Best Treatment?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Heart Conditions and Pregnancy: Know the Risks(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Hyperthermia and Pregnancy(Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) - PDF
- Also available in Spanish
- Later Childbearing(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - PDF
- Managing Pregnancy and Bipolar Disorder(NAMI)
- Pregnancy and IBD(Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)
- Pregnancy and IC(Interstitial Cystitis Association)
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Pregnancy and Lupus(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
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Pregnancy and Thyroid Disease(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- Pregnancy Complications: Liver Disorders(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
- Pregnancy Complications: Thrombophilias(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
- Pregnancy Pointers for Women with Psychiatric History(NAMI)
- Prenatal Surgery: Helping Babies Before Birth(Nemours Foundation)
- Psoriasis during Conception, Pregnancy and Nursing(National Psoriasis Foundation)
- Seizure Disorders in Pregnancy(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - PDF
- Skin Conditions during Pregnancy(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - PDF
- Thinking about Pregnancy After Premature Birth(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
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Pictures & Photographs
- Linea Nigra(Logical Images)
- PUPPP (Pruritic Urticarial Papules Plaques of Pregnancy)(Logical Images)
- Stretch Marks of Pregnancy (Striae of Pregnancy)(Logical Images)
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Health Check Tools
- Vaginal Bleeding in Pregnancy(DSHI Systems)
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Videos
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Pregnancy(Organization of Teratology Information Specialists)
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Pregnancy Complications(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Pregnancy, High-Risk(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Pregnancy Complications
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Research
- Maternal and Infant Health Research: Pregnancy Complications(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: The influence of components of diet on the symptoms of...
- Article: Relative efficacy of micronutrient powders versus iron-folic acid tablets in...
- Article: Different intensities of glycaemic control for pregnant women with pre-existing...
- Health Problems in Pregnancy -- see more articles
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Directories
- ACOG's Physician Directory(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
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Organizations
- March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
- Also available in Spanish
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National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- womenshealth.gov(Dept. of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
- Also available in Spanish
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Statistics
- FastStats: Birthweight and Gestation(National Center for Health Statistics)
- PeriStats: Perinatal Statistics(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
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MedlinePlus Magazine
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Patient Handouts
- Bed rest during pregnancy
- Also available in Spanish
- Hyperemesis gravidarum
- Also available in Spanish
- Morning sickness
- Also available in Spanish
- Placenta abruptio
- Also available in Spanish
- Placenta previa
- Also available in Spanish
- Polyhydramnios
- Also available in Spanish
- Striae
- Also available in Spanish
- Vaginal bleeding in pregnancy
- Also available in Spanish
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You may also be interested in these related encyclopedia pages:
MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
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Health Problems in Pregnancy - Multiple Languages
