 	        			While most women have perfectly healthy
pregnancies with only minor discomforts, it never
hurts to know the warning signs of conditions that
can cause serious health problems for you and your
baby. There is a range of different symptoms you
can experience during and after pregnancy, from
minor discomforts like nausea and leg cramps, to
more severe problems like bleeding. Every woman
and every pregnancy is different though, and some
women even have a problem-free experience. But,
you should be prepared to notice any changes in
your body as your pregnancy blossoms.

Click here for a list of some of the most serious
problems that you might face during or right after
pregnancy.

Problems Without Symptoms

Some health problems you might have during
pregnancy do not have symptoms. One of these is
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection. GBS is a
common infection that rarely makes adults sick.
The bacterium lives in the gastrointestinal
system, along with many other harmless bacteria.
Between 10 to 30 percent of pregnant women carry
GBS in their vagina and rectums. But, if GBS is
passed to the baby during delivery, it can cause
serious health problems in your newborn, such as
pneumonia, blood infection, or infection of the
tissues around the brain.

Because there are no symptoms of GBS, you will be
tested by your doctor at 35 to 37 weeks of
pregnancy. The simple test involves swabbing the
vagina and rectum for a sample of cells that are
sent to a lab to look for GBS. If you are
infected, you will be treated with intravenous
(IV) antibiotics during labor and delivery to make
sure the baby is protected.

Another problem is anemia, or having below-normal
levels of iron in the blood. Iron is needed for
hemoglobin (a protein in  blood that helps take
oxygen to body tissues for energy and growth) for
you and your baby. Iron also helps build bones and
teeth. Most women do not have symptoms of anemia,
but some might have extreme fatigue. Your doctor
will check for signs of anemia through the routine
blood tests that are taken in different stages of
your pregnancy. If you have anemia, you will be
given iron supplements to take once or twice a
day. Help prevent anemia by eating more iron-rich
foods, like potatoes, raisins, broccoli, leafy
green vegetables, whole-grain breads and
iron-fortified cereals.

This page last updated: October 2004
Source: Womenshealth.gov