PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS

• TOXEMIA-ELEVATED HR OF MOTHER
  • NOT FATAL
  • FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME (FAS)
    • COGNITIVE DELAYS, FLATTEN FACIAL PALETTE: POTENTIALLY FATAL
    • RH INCOMPATIBILITY
      • MOTHER’S IMMUNE SYSTEM (NEGATIVE IN MOTHER, POSITIVE IN FETUS)
      •  REACTS AGAINST THE FETUS’S BLOOD DUE TO AN INCOMPATIBLE BLOOD CELL TYPE (RH): FATAL
      • GESTATIONAL DIABETES
        • Pregnant women who have never had diabetes before but who have high blood glucose (sugar) levels during pregnancy: NOT FATAL
        • MISCARRIAGE (SPONTANEOUS ABORTION)
          • 1 IN 5 FIRST TIME PREGNANCIES (20%) RESULT: FATAL
          • ECTOPIC PREGNANCY
            • FERTILIZED EGG STAYS IN THE FALLOPIAN TUBE: FATAL

THINGS PARENTS CAN DO BEFORE/DURING PREGNANCY: “WHAT TO DO WHILE YOU’RE EXPECTING!”

• PRENATAL VITAMINS
• PRENATAL CARE: DOCTOR’S (EVERY 3-4 WEEKS)
• DIET
• EXERCISE
• REDUCE STRESS
• FOLLOW FOOD GUIDE PYRAMID
• ADDRESS ANY PRIOR HEALTH CONDITIONS