Pre-existing conditions during pregnancy can cause complications resulting in more headaches and hazards for you and your baby. Certain diseases can make it difficult to get pregnant in the first place, and make your pregnancy a little trickier once it happens. For moms over 35, however, pregnancy can be a lot more difficult, and pre-existing conditions can be really serious. If this is you, it’s important to find a high risk obstetrician right away, and take extra care of yourself throughout your pregnancy. With the right care, many moms still have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.
Two of the most common and problematic conditions include diabetes and hypertension, which may turn into preeclampsia. Not only are older women more likely to face diabetes or high blood pressure, these issues are also more likely to present during pregnancies in women over 35. Here’s a look at how these common pre-existing conditions can impact your pregnancy.
Preexisting Diabetes
If you have Type I or Type II diabetes, it’s important to talk to your OBGYN about the status of your condition. Discuss any medication you take to regulate your insulin along with any complications you’ve already experienced. You may need special screenings to help rule out additional, related complications of your pregnancy. Even if you don’t do a great job of managing your diabetes normally, it’s extremely important to make lifestyle changes during pregnancy. Watch your diet carefully; talk to your doctor about how much exercise is appropriate for you, and what your ideal weight and pregnancy weight gain should be. The healthier you are, the healthier your child is.
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes specific to pregnant women. Although this can happen during pregnancy at any age, women over 35 have a significantly increased risk of developing diabetes during pregnancy. Again, it’s important to keep an eye on this with your the help of your doctor -- who should perform tests to see how well your body is regulating sugar. If you do develop this temporary disease, it’s important to follow your doctor’s instructions to manage the condition.
Preexisting Hypertension
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, becomes more common as age rises. Chronic, pre-existing hypertension can generally be managed throughout pregnancy, although, again, it’s important to speak with your OBGYN to make good choices about medicine, diet, and exercise. Specifically, hypertension can lead to preeclampsia, also called toxemia. Risk factors for preeclampsia include, but are not limited to, women who already have or develop hypertension early in pregnancy, are over 40, and have a BMI over 30,
Preeclampsia
High blood pressure that arises during pregnancy can be a very serious and more difficult disease to control. Preeclampsia usually becomes present around the fifth month -- but can also show through protein in the urine. More severe preeclampsia may cause nausea, light headedness, abdominal pain, and shortness of breath, among other concerns. Preeclampsia can lead to very serious complications for mom, from eclampsia (a seizure disorder) to HELLP syndrome (a disruption of liver function). In turn, the baby may receive insufficient blood, and thus insufficient food and oxygen, which can cause low birth weight. With appropriate care, however, many women with preeclampsia deliver healthy, normal babies.
