Pregnancy complications

Definition

Among the pregnancy complications are on the part of the mother once the diseases and complications, which only arise by the pregnancy itself and to which also the gestoses belong, as well as the worsening of before already existing (e.g. chronic) diseases. These can lead to a risk pregnancy. In addition, diseases and conditions (e.g. infections during pregnancy and anatomical peculiarities) are included, which are relatively harmless outside of a pregnancy, but can now endanger it.

The risk of mortality during pregnancy and birth is now only 0.04% in industrialized countries, but in developing countries the figures are still dramatically high due to a lack of medical care. Complications can occur more frequently in the context of a twin pregnancy than in a pregnancy with only one child. If a fertilized egg implants outside the uterine cavity, this is called extrauterine pregnancy.

About 1% of pregnant women are affected. Almost exclusively, it occurs in such a way that the egg does not pass through the fallopian tube and therefore implants itself here. In extremely rare cases, it can also nest in the abdominal cavity, ovary or cervix.

Besides anatomical peculiarities, the main causes are functional disorders of the fallopian tube. These are often caused by previous inflammation (pelvic inflammatory disease), which in turn leads to adhesions and scarring within the fallopian tube and thus hinders the migration of the egg into the uterus. Dislocated lining of the uterus within the fallopian tube (endometriosis), operations in the abdominal cavity and already undergone ectopic pregnancies can also lead to this process.

An increased number of pregnancies outside the uterine cavity have also been observed in women who have used an intrauterine device (e.g. copper-T coil). Hormonal disorders can also be a cause. The symptoms manifest themselves as absence of menstruation, which is often followed by spotting and cramp-like abdominal pain.

Even if the pregnancy test is negative, a gynecologist should always be consulted, who can make a diagnosis by ultrasound, gynecological examination and possibly also laparoscopy. During laparoscopy, the fruit is removed and, depending on the stage, the affected fallopian tube must also be removed. In less advanced stages and in the absence of symptoms, the pregnancy may also be terminated with medication. Up to a fifth of the affected women are affected by such a pregnancy again, whereby the risk is always higher if the previously affected fallopian tube was left in the body.