If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant soon, you need specialized care to keep you and the baby healthy. While many pregnancies go full-term without a hitch, others are bound for a few bumps along the way.
Most conditions you might experience aren’t life-threatening, but there are a few to watch out for.
At the private practice of OB/GYN John Paul Roberts, MD, we can help you no matter what stage of pregnancy you’re in. Dr. Roberts offers prenatal care for both you and your baby to make sure your pregnancy goes as smoothly as possible.
Pregnancy can either be the best or worst nine months of your life. Each trimester brings its own triumphs and challenges, building up until you finally get to hold your baby for the first time.
Keeping yourself as healthy as possible is vital to a healthy pregnancy. But sometimes your body has other plans.
While some conditions are avoidable during pregnancy, others pop up unannounced, and you may need to make a few changes along the way. Here are four conditions to watch out for:
This type of diabetes occurs during pregnancy and makes it difficult for your body to break down the glucose in your blood.
Gestational diabetes can cause your baby to grow bigger than normal. If your baby is too big, their shoulders can get stuck in the vaginal canal during birth, and you may need a cesarean section.
You might not notice any symptoms, so Dr. Roberts routinely screens for it between your 24th and 28th week of pregnancy. He may check sooner if you’re overweight or have a history of gestational diabetes.
While some morning sickness is normal throughout your pregnancy, severe nausea and vomiting is not. Hyperemesis gravidarum is a condition that leads to intense nausea that exceeds normal morning sickness.
This condition can lead to severe weight loss and dehydration, both of which aren’t healthy during your pregnancy. Hyperemesis gravidarum results in excessive vomiting and a decreased appetite, both of which affect the growth of your baby.
If you have a history of high blood pressure or are obese, you’re at a higher risk for a condition known as preeclampsia. This condition leads to dangerously high blood pressure when you’re pregnant, usually after the first 20 weeks.
Preeclampsia can be dangerous and even life-threatening if it’s not treated. For this reason, Dr. Roberts checks your blood pressure and other vital signs at your prenatal appointments to screen for this problem.
The placenta is vital to your baby’s health during pregnancy. It attaches to the top of your uterus and provides your baby with vital nutrients and oxygen.
Placenta previa occurs when the placenta doesn’t attach to the top of the uterus; instead, it covers your cervix, either partially or completely. This may lead to abnormal bleeding during pregnancy, but you might not have any symptoms.
Whether your pregnancy is a bumpy one or you’re not having any issues, prenatal care is so important for both you and your baby’s health. When you first learn that you’re pregnant, Dr. Roberts forms a plan of care for you to follow throughout your pregnancy.
This includes regular prenatal checkups to monitor the baby’s progress, along with your overall health.
Ultrasounds are another key component of your prenatal care. Not only does the ultrasound show you an image of your baby, it also shows Dr. Roberts any abnormalities in your uterus. If he spots anything during an ultrasound, Dr. Roberts makes a plan to keep you and your unborn baby healthy.
Prenatal care is also vital to the successful birth of your baby. This is especially true if you’ve had issues with previous pregnancies. During your prenatal visits, Dr. Roberts keeps an eye on your health, and helps you prepare for a seamless delivery when you’re ready.
If you’re in need of prenatal care, don’t hesitate to call our office in Plano, Texas, to make an appointment. You can also use the online booking tool here on our website.
