Pregnancy Complications and Interventions

The words "pregnancy complication" may be an expecting parent's worst nightmare, but thanks to advances in medical testing and treatment, there are interventions available to test for, treat and even prevent many disorders, including preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and placenta previa.

Anemia
Iron is a necessary nutrient for a healthy body, especially when you are pregnant; yet 20 percent of pregnant women don't get enough iron, which can lead to a low red blood cell count, or anemia. Read the article

Bedrest
The purpose of bedrest is to reduce your normal daily activity so that your uterus will be less likely to contract and there will be less pressure on your cervix. Read the article

Breech Birth
When labor begins, 96 percent of babies have assumed the head down or "vertex position" with only a few (about 3.5 percent) in the bottom first or breech position. Read the article

Cesarean Delivery
A c-section is more expensive, more painful, and requires more recovery time than a vaginal delivery, but it can save the life of the mother as well as her baby in some instances. Read the article

Down Syndrome
Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal disorder, affecting one in every 800 live births. Read the article

Ectopic Pregnancy
When a fertilized egg is unable to travel down to the uterus, it may implant in another location such as the fallopian tubes (called a tubal pregnancy) the ovaries, in the abdomen, or on the cervix. Read the article

External Cephalic Version
If your baby is still in a breech position by week 37 of your pregnancy, your doctor or midwife may try to turn it to the vertex (head-down) position using external cephalic version (ECV). Read the article

Fibroids
A fibroid tumor, also called a leiomyoma or myoma, is a benign mass of compacted muscle and fibrous tissue that grows in, on, or outside a woman's uterus. Read the article

Forcep and Vacuum-Assisted Deliveries
Occasionally, labor and delivery do not go according to plan and the doctor may choose to use either a vacuum or forceps to gently pull the baby through the birth canal. Read the article

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