Some women experience health problems during pregnancy that can affect the mother's health, the foetus’s health, or both. Even women who were healthy before getting pregnant can experience complications which can make the pregnancy a high-risk one.

High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure/hypertension, occurs when arteries carrying blood from the heart to the body organs are narrowed. This causes pressure to increase in the arteries. It makes it hard for blood to reach the placenta, which provides nutrients and oxygen to the fetus. Reduced blood flow can slow the growth of the foetus and place the mother at greater risk of preterm labour and preeclampsia.

Women who have high blood pressure before pregnancy will have to continue monitoring and controlling it, with medications if necessary, throughout their pregnancy.

High blood pressure that develops in pregnancy is called gestational hypertension. Usually, gestational hypertension occurs during the second half of pregnancy and goes away after delivery.

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar (glucose) that develops during pregnancy and usually disappears after giving birth.

It can happen at any stage of pregnancy, but is more common in the second or third trimester.

It happens when your body cannot produce enough insulin – a hormone that helps control blood sugar levels – to meet your extra needs in pregnancy.

Managing gestational diabetes, by following a treatment plan outlined by a health care provider, is the best way to reduce or prevent problems associated with high blood sugar during pregnancy. If not controlled, it can lead to high blood pressure from preeclampsia and having a large infant, which increases the risk for caesarean delivery.

Pre-eclampsia

Pre-eclampsia is a condition that affects some pregnant women, usually during the second half of pregnancy (from 20 weeks) or soon after their baby is delivered.

Early signs of pre-eclampsia include having high blood pressure (hypertension) and protein in your urine (proteinuria). These factors should be identified during your routine antenatal appointments.

Other symptoms could be:

• severe headache
• vision problems, such as blurring
• pain just below the ribs
• vomiting
• sudden swelling of the face, hands or feet

The earlier pre-eclampsia is diagnosed and monitored, the better for mother and baby.

Depression and Anxiety

You can get depression when you are pregnant. This is called antenatal depression.

With help and support most are able to manage the condition.

(You can call FPA Sri Lanka on 077 989 5252)

If antenatal depression is not treated symptoms can get worse and may continue after the baby is born (postnatal depression). So it is important to get support and help if you need it.

Signs/symptoms of antenatal depression include:

• feeling sad or tearful a lot of the time
• feeling irritable, or getting angry easily
• losing interest in other people and the world around you
• not wanting to eat or eating more than usual
• negative thoughts, such as worrying you will not be able to look after your baby
• feeling guilty, hopeless or blaming yourself for your problems
• having problems concentrating or making decisions

Reference Links:

https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/pregnancy/conditioninfo/complications

https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/depression/