Pregnancy

Did you get your antenatal ultrasound & discovered you are expecting twins? Though it is certainly a period of joy for you and your partner, it’s important to be aware of the risks that come with multiple pregnancies and understand how to manage them.

The breach in fetal membranes (amniotic sac and chorion) before the commencement of labor is referred to as premature rupture of membranes (PROM). If this rupture arises prior to 37 weeks of gestation, it is known as preterm PROM (PPROM). PROM is a pregnancy complication that affects approximately 8% of pregnancies at term. Similarly, 0.7-2% of pregnancies are complicated by preterm PROM.

Hypertension in pregnancy is an unfortunate complication that is a culprit for putting the lives of both mother and the baby in danger.

Placenta previa is defined as an unusually low-lying placenta that is in close proximity to or wholly or partly covering the internal cervical os. It is considered a crucial trigger in causing life-threatening antepartum and postpartum hemorrhage. Prompt identification and diagnosis can prevent hazardous outcomes and prove life-saving. Studies show an association with the spectrum of abnormal villous adherence (accrete, increta, and percreta) in patients with placenta previa. The threat of uncontrolled hemorrhage can be a source of apprehension for the pregnant woman.

World Health Organization (WHO) defines preterm as:
“Babies born alive before 37 weeks of gestation”.

Pregnancy loss before the completion of 20 weeks of gestation is defined as miscarriage. The terms miscarriage, spontaneous abortion, and early pregnancy loss are interchangeably used during the first trimester. Pregnancy failure after 20 weeks is labeled as stillbirth or fetal death in utero (FDIU). According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), 10% of all clinically proven pregnancies end in early pregnancy loss. Additionally, 80% of all losses occur in the first trimester.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a wide terminology encompassing conditions, including gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and eclampsia. It is a prominent cause of maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide and affects around 10% of pregnancies. Pre-eclampsia and eclampsia together lead to 14% of maternal demise.

Gestational diabetes mellitus is defined as “glucose intolerance resulting in hyperglycemia of variable severity with onset or first recognition during pregnancy.