DANGER SIGNS IN PREGNANCY (PART 1)

Women across the world were reported to have died from pregnancy and child birth related complications. It is estimated that the majority of global maternal deaths occur in Africa. The majority complications that account for 80% of all maternal deaths are severe bleeding, infections and high blood pressure during pregnancy, obstructed labor and unsafe abortion. However, many maternal deaths can be prevented if appropriate action is taken early and promptly by health care givers/specialists.

Today’s topic will highlight the global pursuit for safe motherhood initiative where every woman needs to be aware of the danger signs that occur during pregnancy, as complications can be unpredictable. These signs usually indicate the presence of an obstetric complication that may arise during pregnancy, delivery or post-delivery. Knowledge of these danger signs will help women to make the right decisions and take appropriate care, which reduces maternal mortality (death rate) and morbidity (incidence of disease).

The ongoing efforts to improve maternity care has resulted in the adoption of the World Health Organization focused antenatal care (FANC) program consisting of only four visits for low-risk pregnancy (that is pregnancy without complications). This version of an antenatal care (ANC) program includes health promotion, prevention, early detection and treatment of existing diseases. This program allows couple access critical information for birth preparedness including the danger signs of pregnancy.

Most women will go through pregnancy with some uncomfortable symptoms but no serious problems. Normal discomforts of pregnancy can include nausea (especially in the first three months), heartburn, a need to urinate often, back ache, breast tenderness, swelling and physical tiredness. However, there are some other symptoms that may mean danger for mother or the baby. Being aware of these danger signs can help one know when the need for special care from your healthcare provider/specialist arises.

DANGER SIGNS/SYMPTOMS YOU SHOULD NEVER IGNORE

Very bad headache or a headache that lasts for several days

Several vaginal bleeding

Severe nausea and vomiting

Fever: Temperature over 100F (37.8C)

Blurry vision

Reduced movement and kicking by the baby

Sudden weight gain (1.5 to 3kg within 5 to 7 days) with a lot of swelling of the feet, ankles, face or hands.

Seizures

Blood in the urine

Burning and pain when urinating

Diarrhea

Vaginal discharge with a bad odor, irritation or itching

Pain, pressure or cramping in the belly before 37 weeks of pregnancy

Contractions that happen more than 4 times an hour less than 15 minutes apart

Muscle irritability

Severe backache/pain

Leaking of fluid from the vagina

SEVERE NAUSEA AND VOMITING: Severe nausea and vomiting (morning sickness) that does not stop in the first 3 months of pregnancy could result in loss of too much weight and fluid from the body with mother and baby not getting enough nutrients. The body’s electrolyte and chemicals may become imbalanced. The need for treatment in the hospital may be recommended in some women. Morning sickness usually gets better after the first 3 months of pregnancy in most women.

CRAMPING, CONTRACTIONS AND BLEEDING: Severe craping, contractions and bleeding during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy can be seen as a sign of a placenta Previa (placenta covering the opening of the mother cervix), placenta abruption (placenta detaching from the womb), miscarriage and possible loss of baby. Women experiencing any of the above symptoms need specialist’s management. Sometimes a miscarriage can be avoided with complete bed rest and sometimes it is completely inevitable. Even if usually the baby is lost, there is still need to see the healthcare provider/ specialist to ensure that no tissue from the pregnancy is left in the womb which can cause an infection later.

ABDOMINAL PAIN: Aches and pains are to be expected to an extent during pregnancy since the baby is growing bigger by the day and the muscles and ligaments will need to be stretching to accommodate the growth. The discomforts caused by that are called round ligament pain and is not worrisome. Severe and constant pain which may not be accomplished by bleeding or other symptoms must be treated as urgent. Pain or pressure during the first 3 months of pregnancy could mean the fertilized egg may be outside the womb. This is called an ectopic or tubal pregnancy. The pain may be worse on one side of the abdomen or in the shoulder, coupled with dizziness or even fainting, with nausea or vomiting. A baby cannot survive in an ectopic site, as this may cause severe eternal bleeding and threatens the life of the mother. Early diagnosis depending on location requires termination with medications, otherwise surgery must be done to remove the ectopic pregnancy if diagnosed late………………………..……TO BE CONTINUED