Complications in pregnant women

14 April 2020

Each phase of pregnancy is its own journey for every woman who strives to have children. With it, however, are many healthcare precautions to ensure there are no complications during pregnancy and for the baby to be delivered safely. That is why it is important for pregnant women to take good care of their health in various aspects, especially in the early stages of pregnancy where the foetus is fragile and susceptible to infections.

According to Sunway Medical Centre Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Dr Sharmina Kamal Shamsul Kamal, pregnant women have a lower immune system compared to when they were not pregnant, which can cause infections to get worse during pregnancy. During the early stages of pregnancy, women are at a higher risk of miscarriage especially with a variety of symptoms they face.

“Nausea and vomiting are normal symptoms for pregnant women but if it gets too serious, the body can suffer from water loss. This can cause higher risks to pregnant women and even death as the body loses its function due to water loss.”

Pregnant women need to pay close attention to their legs if they are feeling heavier than usual and if they have difficulty moving as well as pain. Blood clots can form in the feet’s blood vessels or in more serious cases, in the lungs. This condition called venous thromboembolism can cause death and in fact is the main cause of death in pregnant women.

This can easily happen to women who have been on flights for more than four hours, those with underlying health conditions or those who gave birth through surgery. To eliminate the risk of venous thromboembolism in pregnant women, the doctor will prescribe medication to dilute the blood in order to avoid any blood clots in the bloodstream after the woman delivers, Dr Sharmina said.

Pregnant women are advised to practice a healthy lifestyle. As their immune system is low, Dr Sharmina advises pregnant women to observe a healthy diet which includes meat, chicken, fish and eggs. If they would like to have steak, it has to be cooked completely to avoid bacteria such as salmonella which is detrimental to the baby.

Caffeinated drinks are also associated with the cause of miscarriages and stunted growth of the baby as a result of excessive intake. Pregnant women are recommended to only consume one cup of coffee daily, four cups of tea or six cups of green tea.

Food like blue cheese is not recommended as it contains mould which can interfere with the growth of the baby and death in the womb as a result of infection in worse cases.

Pregnant women are encouraged to exercise according to their own preference as it can help reduce the risk of diabetes and large infants. Exercising can also help mitigate vomiting in the early stages of pregnancy.

Source: Berita Harian

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