The fear of complications during childbirth happens to all women during pregnancy, especially at the beginning when the pregnancy has just been discovered. The fear of the unknown and of what might happen during labor, regarding the health of not only the mother but also the baby is often a reason for the future mother to lose sleep. But everything can be soothed with a good conversation during your prenatal checkup with a trusted gynecologist—take the opportunity to clear all your doubts.
Even if the woman follows all the care recommended by the obstetrician throughout pregnancy, unexpected complications may still happen during delivery. However, generally speaking, if the future mother takes good care of her health and does her best to have a healthy and peaceful pregnancy, the chances of something going wrong during childbirth will be minimal. Some complications that can occur during childbirth are not always foreseeable, while others arise due to issues at the end of pregnancy—leaving the responsible doctors prepared for a possible emergency. Many times, it’s even necessary to deliver the baby in a way the mother hadn’t envisioned, all for the health and life of the mother and child.
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Premature birth: One of the most common complications is prematurity, as it may occur for various reasons and complications, and also naturally when the water breaks. It is considered a premature birth when the mother delivers at 36 weeks, with rupture of the membrane (the fluid-filled sac that surrounds the baby in the womb). In the past, delivery was rushed right after the water broke to avoid the risk of infection, believing that the baby might die. Nowadays, delivery is performed only if it is determined that the baby’s lungs are mature enough. Otherwise, intravenous fluids and absolute rest for the mother are advised to wait for the baby’s lungs to develop.
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Post-term birth: Post-maturity or post-term birth, as it is called, happens when pregnancy lasts beyond 42 weeks, causing the placenta to lose its functionality and putting the baby at risk. Since it’s difficult to determine the exact week of pregnancy, it can also be hard to know when it is “overdue.” Therefore, the woman must be examined carefully and the baby’s heartbeats and movements monitored, as well as the amount of amniotic fluid, which tends to decrease considerably in post-term pregnancies.
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Uterine hemorrhage: After childbirth, it is normal to have significant bleeding for a few days, but in some cases, heavier than usual bleeding can happen during labor because the woman’s blood vessels are open due to the detachment of the placenta. When the uterus does not contract enough to control this bleeding, the woman can have a severe uterine hemorrhage that must be controlled immediately.
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Preeclampsia: Preeclampsia occurs when the pregnant woman’s blood pressure rises above 140/90 mmHg after 20 weeks of pregnancy, putting the obstetrician on alert since preeclampsia can cause fatal harm to both mother and baby. To diagnose preeclampsia, the mother must have elevated blood pressure, increased levels of protein in the urine, and experience rapid weight gain above what is recommended. According to the Ministry of Health, hypertension during pregnancy is the leading cause of deaths and complications in childbirth and its cause remains unknown to medicine.
There are other factors that can lead to complications in childbirth, such as amniotic embolism, which can cause cardiorespiratory arrest in the mother. This occurs when the baby’s waste enters the mother’s bloodstream, causing an allergic reaction that can be fatal for both mother and baby. If you have abnormal discomfort, severe headaches, or any other unusual symptoms during pregnancy, consult your doctor.
See also: Gestational Diabetes – How to Diagnose and Treat
Photo: SantaRosa OLD SKOOL