5 Severe Complications During Pregnancy And Childbirth That Every Mommy-To-Be Should Know

For some, pregnancy is a smooth ride and occur without any complications. However, in a few cases, women experience complications that can also be life-threatening to the mom-to-be health and baby’s health. Going by the estimates, about 8 per cent of the pregnancies involve complications, some complications occur unexpectedly and cannot be avoided.

There are times when a minor complication can also lead to a mother’s death, although they are rare. It’s important for mom-to-be to be aware of these life-threatening complications:

Haemorrhage:

A Haemorrhage- uncontrolled bleeding during or after childbirth can occur. And a mother can lose up to 500 ml of blood in the first 24 hours (primary PPH) or up to 6 weeks after the birth. Haemorrhage happens when a woman is under trauma, an atonic uterus (when the uterus doesn’t contract), complications with the placenta.

Complications with Placenta:

The placenta is the organ which provides food and nourishments to the baby and it is attached to the womb. There can be deadly issues with placenta praevia, placenta accreta and placenta percreta. Complications with the placenta can lead to infections, bleeding, and immense pain.

Pre-eclampsia:

During pregnancy, women often develop pre-eclampsia which leads to high blood pressure. If it doesn’t get treated it can be life-threatening for the baby.

Blood Clotting:

A rare condition called Hellp syndrome which affects the liver and causes blood clots, also affects mom-to-be. Professor Marian Knight explains what HELLP stands for Haemolysis (red blood cells in the blood break down), EL (elevated or raised liver enzymes) and LP (low number of platelets in the blood, which affects the blood’s ability to clot).

There can be blood clots in the legs or lungs during pregnancy.

Sepsis:

A severe infection can occur during or after the childbirth. It is one of the leading cause of maternal deaths. This infection attacks the womb or the birth canal and can be deadly in most cases.

Not all complications are preventable, opting for a healthier lifestyle can help you avoid life-threatening complications.

Source: Healthtalk