Health problems that may be aggravated by pregnancy include diabetes, hypertension, chronic disorders of the heart, lungs or kidneys, and epilepsy.
Diabetes
The control of diabetes is much more difficult during pregnancy because hormones from the placenta counteract the effect of insulin. Increased doses of insulin are needed to keep the mother’s blood sugar within normal limits, and more frequent (sometimes weekly) antenatal checkups are needed to make sure the insulin dose is enough. If diabetes isn’t well controlled, some complications of pregnancy are more likely, including pregnancy-induced hypertension and hydramnios. The babies of diabetic women are often larger than normal, causing problems during labour and delivery. Delivery is usually advised around 37 weeks.
In the past there was a high rate of stillbirth to diabetic mothers. Now that there is better understanding of the effects of diabetes in pregnancy and how to control them, the stillbirth rate to diabetic mothers is only slightly higher than that to non-diabetic mothers.
The effects of high blood pressure that existed before pregnancy are similar to those of pregnancy-induced hypertension. Problems are unlikely if you’re already on medication to keep your blood pressure within normal limits, but you must be checked often in case dosage needs changing and so that the condition of the foetus can be monitored. Occasionally bed rest and early delivery must be advised.
Other illnesses
If you have any chronic illness and are planning pregnancy, it’s wise to consult your regular doctor and an obstetrician before you conceive so that you’ll be aware of the possible effects of your condition on pregnancy and vice versa.
Chronic disorders of the heart, lungs and kidneys may be aggravated by the increased demands on the body during pregnancy. If you have epilepsy, careful supervision is needed. It is usually important during pregnancy to continue any regular medication that you take for a preexisting illness. This is especially important with anticonvulsants in epilepsy. Your obstetrician will consult with your physician to see whether your medication needs changing, and antenatal checkups will need to be more frequent.
*182/31/5*
