5 Pregnancy Conditions You Should Know About
Pregnant women know to expect changes as their pregnancy progresses. While many pregnancies are clinically uneventful, others are impacted by serious medical issues.
Expectant mothers who go to a midwife or doctor for prenatal care should be monitored for specific conditions that occur during some pregnancies. Many of these issues can be addressed, but life-threatening problems can occur if they are left unchecked.
When mothers or babies experience these untreated conditions, injured parties can opt to seek compensation through a medical malpractice lawsuit. The accepted standards of care that the mother and baby should have received will be considered.
#1: Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that only occurs during pregnancy. It can lead to the baby being larger than normal. In some cases, the baby’s lungs might not be as developed as they would be if the mother’s diabetes was well controlled. Many women will have a glucose screening test to determine if they are at risk for this condition. More extensive testing is required if the screening test isn’t passed.
#2: Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is a condition that is associated with high blood pressure and protein in the urine. If this is left unchecked, the preeclampsia can advance to eclampsia, which can lead to seizures and life-threatening problems.
#3: Placental Abnormalities
Abnormalities in the placenta can lead to serious problems during labor and birth. Placenta previa, which is the most common placental abnormality, occurs when the placenta covers the cervix. This can make the woman at risk for vaginal bleeding and it means that vaginal birth is impossible. Placenta accreta occurs when the placenta grows into the uterus or through the uterus instead of just attaching to the lining. Both of these conditions can mean the woman can’t have a normal delivery and might lead to considerable blood loss.
#4: Twin-to-twin Transfusion Syndrome
A woman who is pregnant with twins might need close monitoring if her twins share a placenta. Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome occurs when one twin gets more of the nutrition than the other twin. This can lead to the smaller twin dying and the larger twin experiencing significant medical problems.
#5: Premature Rupture of the Membrane
A membrane keeps the amniotic fluid in the amniotic sac. Normally, this membrane ruptures at around 40 weeks when the woman is ready to deliver a full-term baby. Some women experience an early rupture of the membrane, which can lead to a premature delivery and a heightened risk of infection. A woman who experiences this premature “water breaking” should be under constant medical care and monitoring to ensure that she and the baby are healthy and so she can try to stave off labor as long as possible.
Some pregnancy and delivery problems result from medical negligence. It is important to get your questions answered by a professional if you suspect malpractice.
Source: Nov. 30, -0001