Pregnancy Complications

Complication during pregnancy is more common than most people think. Even for those who are healthy and have had children before, early pregnancy complications could arise, at no fault to anyone. This article explains some of these complications and what to watch out for.

Early pregnancy complications
When you find you are pregnant, the first thing you must do is go see your obstetrician/gynecologist. They will perform an ultrasound to make sure that your pregnancy is advancing as it should. Regular visits to your OBGYN will prevent early pregnancy complications or at the very least, help identify them at an early stage. The two most common pregnancy complications are:

Ectopic pregnancies
Ectopic pregnancies are one of the most common early complications. Ectopic pregnancies refer to pregnancies in which the egg is fertilized outside the womb so the fetus begins to develop in the ovary or in the fallopian tube. This can be very dangerous not only for the fetus but also for the mother. If surgery is not performed, the tubes could burst and result in internal bleeding and in some cases, even death.
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Miscarriages
Complication during pregnancy can lead to miscarriages, another common early pregnancy complication. Sometimes the cervix can open causing heavy bleeding with intense cramping pains. Other times, the baby can die in early pregnancy. When this happens, the mother can either wait for a miscarriage to occur or have a D&C. There are many different complications during pregnancy that can cause this to happen: blood clotting, infection, structural problems, or lifestyle choices such as smoking, alcohol or high caffeine intake.

High risk pregnancy
A pregnancy that is categorized as high risk is one which has a higher chance of complications arising. You may be considered high risk if you are carrying multiple babies, have a long term illness such as diabetes, or are over the age of 35. If you are high risk, you may be asked to visit your obstetrician more regularly as the pregnancy will need to be more closely monitored than usual.
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Pregnancy over 35
It is not uncommon for a woman’s fertility to be affected over the age of 30 and once you are pregnant, you must be aware that it is more common for complications to arise. The chances of your child bearing birth defects are significantly higher than those women who are under 30 and miscarriages also become more common in the first trimester of older pregnant women. For those over 35, there will also be an increased risk of diabetes and high blood pressure. Don’t worry, as with today’s technology, almost all these complications can be treated as long as they are spotted early on.

Multiple pregnancies
A multiple pregnancy is one in which there are two or more fetuses. It’s considered to be high risk because with more than one fetus, it has a higher chance of developing complications. Almost half of twins that are born are premature with extremely low birth weights and underdeveloped organs. This makes them very vulnerable and it is not uncommon for only one twin to survive. Twins who share a placenta could result in high amounts of amniotic fluids.

It is important to keep this information regarding early pregnancy complications in mind during pregnancy and to regularly consult your doctor.

Morning Sickness

Morning sickness, also called nausea gravidarum, nausea, vomiting of pregnancy (emesis gravidarum or NVP), or pregnancy sickness is a condition that affects more than half of all pregnant women. Sometimes symptoms are present in the early hours of the morning and reduces as the day progresses.

Morning sickness typically occurs in the first few weeks of pregnancy and usually goes away by the second trimester. Snacking on salty foods, like potato chips, and drinking lemonade or ginger ale may help tame the stomach upset. However, some pregnant women have an extreme type of morning sickness, called hyperemesis gravidarum, which requires treatment.


Pregnancy hormones, circulating in the body, affect all your organs and prepare your body to sustain new life. One theory is that they are responsible for sickness, as a means of protecting the foetus from harmful substances. In fact, there's some research to suggest that women who experience bad sickness are less likely to miscarry, and there is some support for this in the fact the sickness generally stops when the baby's major organs have developed.

Home treatment measures for morning sickness include:

• Small, frequent snacks can help alleviate the symptoms. Avoid large meals, especially those high in fat.
• Taking ginger, vitamin B6, or vitamin B12,Fruit or savoury foods which may reduce nausea and/or vomiting during pregnancy.
• Avoiding foods and smells that make you feel sick.
• Keep dry crackers by your bed and eat one or two before getting up in the morning. 
• Trying acupressure, which seems to work for some women.

You should talk to your doctor if your sickness is affecting your overall health, if you find you can hardly keep food or drinks down, or if you become extremely tired.

Pregnancy sickness, even severe sickness that persists and needs hospital treatment, isn’t associated with any harm to your baby, and always ends when your baby is born.

Gestational Surrogate

Almost every surrogacy procedure is a gestational surrogacy procedure.

In traditional surrogacy the surrogate carrier’s own egg is used and combined with sperm from the male partner through intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF). In this case, the surrogate is biologically related to the child.

In gestational surrogacy, the surrogate is not biologically related to the child. Gestational surrogacy is considered less risky since the child she is carrying is not biologically related. Gestational surrogates must be between 21 and 38 and have given birth to at least one healthy child. There are also medical, psychological, and health insurance requirements.

Once the medical and psychological screenings are accomplished, the matching process follows immediately. Arrangements are then made to meet with the intended parents. If all parties are in agreement, the process continues and ARR will facilitate the relationship


Surrogates must have private major medical coverage. Maternity coverage may be purchased at the intended parents’ expense.

The national average ranges between $20,000 and $27,000. However, compensation may vary due to circumstances such as a multiple pregnancy, bed rest, caesarian sections or other situations.

Myths About Infertility and Its Treatment

Myths abound about infertility and its treatment. These myths can make you feel anxiety that is not necessary. Getting the facts will allow you to make an informed decision on visiting the doctor. The Kansas City metropolitan area is home to over 2.2 million people. Many couples in this area experience infertility. Many couples do not realize that infertility is a common condition that millions of couples will face at some point in their life. Modern technology and this commonality have offered options that were not there even a decade ago. You need to explore your options fully and visit a fertility doctor to get all the options.


If you are experiencing fertility issues, it is important to learn the facts before you visit a fertility doctor.

Infertility treatments are too expensive. 
The reality is that most couples find that medication or a simple surgical procedure will correct the problems. Some couples will have their solution after a single visit to the doctor. Yes, this type of treatment costs money. However, for the most part, it is not as expensive as you might think it is.


Infertility is very rare.
The reality is that one in six couples experience infertility at some point in their lives. Some have no issues getting pregnant as young adults. However, later pregnancies may not happen. For others, the problems start right away. With so many treatment options available, however, it is important to work with a fertility doctor and get the problems solved.

Most infertility problems are on the female side of the equation.
About 40% of cases are solely caused by problems found on the female side of the equation. The other 60% are a combination of things. It may be solely on the male side of the equation. It may be a combination of both the man and the woman. In some cases, the fertility doctor cannot determine what is causing the problem.


Most of the time infertility problems are insurmountable.
The exact opposite is true. For most couples, there is some treatment option out there that will give them the baby they desire. It may be a matter of taking fertility drugs. It might involve a minor surgical procedure. It might involve a more advanced technique. However, for the majority of couples, there is hope.

Diagnosing the cause of infertility takes years.
Again, the exact opposite is true in most cases. With advanced techniques and a deeper understanding of what might go wrong, your fertility doctor can often make a diagnosis within the first or second visit. That means you may have a solution the day you seek treatment.

Preventing Stretch Marks

Preventing stretch marks is far easier than getting rid of them once you have them. However, it’s important to realize that there are no guarantees, especially if you are pregnant - and around 90% of all women will develop stretch marks at some stage during pregnancy.

They are also common throughout puberty, periods of weight gain and weight loss.

Though there are other causes of stretch marks, pregnancy is the most common. If you are pregnant, or planning on getting pregnant, then start preparing your body early with a number of home remedies.


1) Eat a balanced diet - eating a healthy, balanced diet is essential not only for keeping your skin healthy during pregnancy, but also for giving your baby everything it needs.

2) Drink plenty of water - again, it’s important to keep your skin healthy by staying hydrated. Your skin will be more elastic, reducing the chance that it will break throughout your pregnancy.

3) Gain weight steadily - this is perhaps harder to control. There’s no avoiding the fact that you will gain weight quickly throughout your pregnancy, so preventing stretch marks could be difficult.

However, you do have some control over the momentum. Remember how much you need to eat: contrary to common myths this is only around 500 more calories than you are used to. These calories should also come from a balanced diet.

Throughout your pregnancy, you should be gaining around 2-4lb across the first 12 weeks, 10-14oz a week between weeks 12 and 28, and 2-6lb a week from weeks 28-40. You should always seek professional medical advice if you are concerned about the rate at which you are (or aren’t) gaining weight through your pregnancy.

NOTE: You should try to avoid any sudden weight gain when you aren’t pregnant, as this is also a common cause of stretch marks.

There are a number of moisturizers and lotions developed specifically to help prevent stretch marks during pregnancy as well as outside of pregnancy.


Stretch marks occur when the dermis layer of your skin breaks, allowing the layers underneath it to show through. This is why it’s so important to keep this layer of skin in as best condition as possible. Stretch mark creams and lotions are designed with a number of nourishing ingredients in mind to do just that.

Dermology is an example of one such cream, available in a free trial to help you test the results. Vitamins, such as A, E and D3 help new skin to constantly regenerate, and natural ingredients can stop any scars forming. Combine this with daily skin massage and you will ensure maximum circulation and resilience to stretch marks.

It’s important to use creams like Dermology regularly and consistently. Doing so will help to ensure that your skin is in the best possible condition and, if stretch marks do develop, they will fade away as quickly as possible.




Preventing stretch marks is, unfortunately, not an exact science. Sometimes there’s nothing you can do to stop them altogether, but there will always be ways to reduce them once they occur.

Try to find a method that works for you, and combine all the advice given in this article for maximum effect.