Finding out that you are pregnant, especially if this will be your first baby, is both exciting and exhilarating, as well as often stressful and even downright scary.
As you are probably all too aware, there are more than a few potential issues that could occur along the way; some entirely unavoidable and some exacerbated by an unhealthy lifestyle.
With this in mind, here are five common complications of childbirth and their possible causes.
1. Pre-Eclampsia
Usually occurring in the second half of pregnancy, many women develop a condition called pre-eclampsia, which results in higher-than-average protein in the urine, high blood pressure readings, and pain in and around the kidney area.
If the mother-to-be is monitored properly and regularly by their medical doctor, nurse and midwife, if she does develop pre-eclampsia, then the condition can be controlled. In many cases of pre-eclampsia, the baby is often delivered earlier than the original due date.
2. Breach Presentation
Another common complication of childbirth is when the baby is in the ‘wrong position’ in the womb. In cases where the position is righted prior to giving birth, this presents no issue.
However, when the baby’s bottom is nearest to the birth canal rather than the head, it is more than likely that your doctor will recommend a planned cesarean section to mitigate any risk of the baby becoming stuck inside the birth canal.
If you experience any kind of cesarean section injury, then do not hesitate to find out whether or not you could be entitled to some compensation from the hospital.
3. Stalled Labor
Sometimes, during the act of childbirth, the contractions, instead of getting stronger, weaken. If the cervix is not dilated to be wide enough for sale delivery, or else the cervix does not dilate quickly enough, the labor may not progress as it should.
In such a situation, the medical professional may administer certain medications to speed up labor and delivery and increase the contractions’ rate and intensity.
4. Bleeding in Excess
Even though it is not particularly pleasant to think about, occasionally, a woman in childbirth can experience a tear to their uterus, or else their uterus does not contract as it should, which both result in bleeding, often to excess.
Naturally, this is one of the major reasons why so many moms-to-be choose to give birth to their baby in a hospital or professional medical setting, as such incidents can be dealt with then and there and therefore pose a reduced risk to both mother and baby.
5. Problems with the Umbilical Cord
Finally, you may already be aware that occasionally, in the process of being rhythmically pushed through the birth canal, the attached umbilical cord can become caught, usually on the leg or arm of the baby. In these situations, your nurse or midwife will manually fix this problem, as they would if the cord begins to emerge before the baby or the cord is wrapping around the neck of the baby.
