When a person is pregnant, there are a million different questions that run through their head. Some are concerned about how they are going to be able to afford to raise a child; others are worried about whether they are even capable of raising one. Yet, others’ worries occur well before the child is born — namely, in the pregnancy phase. So many of them are on the lookout for any of the tell-tale signs of pregnancy problems that could possibly lead to a miscarriage and trying to decipher whether something is a legitimate problem or is perfectly normal.
Beautiful pregnant woman relaxing outside in the park
Understanding the tell-tale signs of pregnancy problems
The fact of the matter is, there are going to be things about a pregnancy that one is not going to necessarily be able to tell whether it is normal or not. It does not help that a lot of people growing up in society do not have as much education on how pregnancy works, so they may not even know when something is natural, or something is a sign of a problem with the pregnancy.
Bleeding
Once a woman gets pregnant, her menstrual cycle stops temporarily. So, it’s normal for some people to stop getting their period until they give birth. However, there are instances when an expecting mother still bleeds. For example, many people early in their pregnancy may experience bleeding and cramping in the early days of pregnancy, but these things may also be indicative of problems with the pregnancy. Normal bleeding during a pregnancy is more spotty, whereas concerning bleeding would be heavier. Brighter red blood only makes it a greater concern. Meanwhile, if you experience cramps that you may associate with periods, that may also be a concern. This could be indicative of a miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy. If you’re experiencing abnormal bleeding, it’s best to consult a doctor. This way, you can ensure you and your baby’s health are in good condition. You can find a specialist near you, or click for more here.
Nausea And Vomiting
Another problem that people face during pregnancy is nausea and vomiting. Granted, these are both common as part of pregnancy (much like it is with cramps and bleeding), but only to a certain degree. For instance, some women experience morning sickness during their first or second trimester. However, if you experience nausea and vomiting to an abnormally high degree, you should let your doctor know. It may help track your symptoms to see whether it affects your overall health and lifestyle. It is important that you take these seriously, as these things in excess may lead to unhealthy weight loss, dehydration, unbalanced electrolytes, and dizziness. Your doctor may prescribe medication to help keep your nausea under better control. You can also try natural remedies at home like ginger tea to see whether your condition will improve. You may experience pain or burning during urination, which may be indicative infections in the bladder and/or urinary tract. Such a thing may lead to pre-term labor and/or pre-term birth.
Vaginal Discharge
Vaginal discharge is another thing that may occur naturally but may also be indicative of either an infection or a sexually transmitted disease. Remember, even if you think it could be a mundane instance of vaginal discharge, you should always let your obstetrician-gynecologist (OBGYN) know about anything that is happening with your body during pregnancy. If you’ve been experiencing this symptom, you should note how often it happens and what type of fluids your vagina discharges. For instance, you can track the color and odor and discuss it with your doctor during a consultation. This way, you’ll know whether it’s normal or not.
Fever
Next up, for people who experience fevers during pregnancy, this could not only harm your unborn child, but it could also harm you. A fever, particularly one greater than 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38.3 Celsius), may be indicative of the existence of an infection. There are multiple kinds of infections that can directly affect the unborn child; toxoplasma may, but does not always, lead to a miscarriage, a stillbirth, brain defects, and/or other problems. Meanwhile, cytomegalovirus increases the risk of your child being born deaf.
The health of a mother can significantly affect the condition of their unborn baby in some cases. Hence, it’s advisable to take care of your health throughout your pregnancy.
Other Conditions
Chronic conditions may also become exacerbated. Such conditions may include diabetes, thyroid disease, high blood pressure, asthma, and others. These things can have serious concerns for your pregnancy, and any flare-ups of these conditions that you experience should be reported to your doctor. If you plan on getting pregnant and are aware of your current health condition, it may be best to consult a doctor first. They can guide you on your pregnancy journey and ensure you and your child will be in good health until your delivery.
When all is said and done, the best way to tackle it is to talk to your OBGYN, such that they can help figure out whether the bleeding and cramping is normal or whether potential pregnancy risks may be at play. At this point of the pregnancy, your OBGYN (or other healthcare provider) will conduct a physical exam to determine what, if anything, is wrong with the pregnancy and, if there is anything wrong, determine what can be done to fix the problems. This will usually involve conducting an ultrasound and blood work in addition to this physical exam. Overall, the sooner you get these errors during pregnancy looked at by a doctor, the more likely things will not go very well for you.
The important thing to remember though is that while you do not want to take potential pregnancy scares too lightly, you also should not stress yourself out too much over everything you think may be a pregnancy scare. Your doctor can help ground you and help you better understand when you should be concerned and when you should just go with the flow. Ironically, stressing out about potential problems with pregnancy is actually a great way to stress yourself out in general, and experiencing too much stress may see additional complications introduced to your pregnancy. Looking into methods on how to manage your stress better is honestly the best thing you can do with your time. Meditation and not putting too much on your plate at a time are two good approaches when it comes to stress reduction. You can talk to your doctor about other tactics you can take to keep it under control.
