Pregnancy and Childbirth: Complications and Care

Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring develop inside a woman. It is divided into three trimesters. The first trimester is from week 1 through 12, the second trimester is from week 13 through 28 and the third trimester is from 29 weeks through 40 weeks. Pregnancy needs good prenatal care which focuses on the identification and treatment of any medical complications. It includes taking extra folic acid, avoiding drugs and alcohol, regular exercise, blood test, and regular physical examinations. Pregnancy may include complications like disorders of high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, iron-deficiency, anemia, and severe nausea and vomiting. Childbirth is the ending of pregnancy, which is commonly done via vaginal delivery. It involves three stages of labor - the shortening and the opening of the cervix, the birth of the baby and the delivery of the placenta. There are many complications that occur during childbirth such as obstructed labor, postpartum infection, fetal complications, postpartum bleeding, and eclampsia. The baby may have complications like lack of oxygen at birth, birth trauma, and infections. There are many measures taken to avoid such complications during pregnancy and childbirth. This book unravels the recent studies in the field of pregnancy and childbirth. It consists of contributions made by international experts. This book will provide comprehensive knowledge to the readers.