Scientists can predict which women will have serious pregnancy complications

[Northerner]

Women who will develop potentially life-threatening disorders during pregnancy can be identified early when hormone levels in the placenta are tested, a new study has shown.

Pregnancy disorders affect around one in ten pregnant women. Nearly all of the organ systems of the mother's body need to alter their function during pregnancy so that the baby can grow. If the mother's body cannot properly adapt to the growing baby this leads to major and common issues including fetal growth restriction, fetal over-growth, gestational diabetes, and preeclampsia -- a life-threatening high blood pressure in the mother.

Many of these complications lead to difficult labours for women with more medical intervention and lifelong issues for the baby including diabetes, heart issues and obesity.

Scientists can predict which women will have serious pregnancy complications

Pregnancy disorders are usually diagnosed during the second or third trimester of gestation when they have often already had a serious impact on the health of the mother and baby. The current methods to diagnose pregnancy disorders are not sensitive or reliable enough to identify all at risk...

www.sciencedaily.com

 

[mikeyB]

Knowing that there may be complications ahead during pregnancy seems like a good way to bring on psychological problems, to say nothing of blood pressure.

My younger brother weighed 10lb when he was born at home (woke me up with his noise). No problems, other than mum became T1 not long after. He’s disgustingly healthy, never puts on weight and doesn’t have any chronic conditions, unlike his two brothers.