Common health problems in pregnancy

Common pregnancy health problems: what to expect

During pregnancy, your body goes through big changes to make room for your baby and prepare for giving birth.

As you go through these changes, it’s common to experience physical discomforts or health problems. These are usually mild, but they sometimes need medical attention.

It’s always a good idea to talk with your midwife or doctor about any discomfort or health concerns you have during pregnancy.

Here are some of the common pregnancy health problems you might expect.

Backache or pelvic girdle pain

Backache and pelvic girdle pain (pain around your pelvis, hips and lower back) are common in late pregnancy. You might have this pain earlier in pregnancy too.

Here are tips to prevent or reduce backache or pelvic girdle pain:

Stand or sit tall. Avoid slouching.
Stand with equal weight on each leg and tuck in your bump and bottom so that your spine feels neutral.
Take regular breaks from sitting – at least every 30 minutes. Change your sitting position frequently.
Avoid bending or twisting. And avoid carrying children on one hip.
Avoid lifting anything heavy.
Sit while getting dressed or undressed.
Avoid crossing your legs.
Try to keep your legs together when getting in and out of a car.

Backache or pelvic girdle pain can make it hard to sleep. You might sleep better if you take a warm bath or shower before bed. You could also try sleeping on your side with pillow or rolled blankets between your legs, under your bump and behind your back.

Constipation

It’s common to have constipation from as early as 7 weeks.

To help with this, you can increase your dietary fibre by eating more fruit, vegetables, wholegrains and other high-fibre foods. Drinking plenty of water and doing regular physical activity can help too.

If you’re taking iron supplements and they’re making you constipated, talk to your midwife or doctor about other supplements you could try.

Haemorrhoids

Haemorrhoids are most common in the second and third trimesters.

These tips can help to prevent haemorrhoids:

Eat high-fibre foods like fruit, vegetables and wholegrains, and drink plenty of water.
Avoid standing or sitting for long periods of time.
Exercise regularly.

If you have haemorrhoids, these tips can reduce pain:

Place an icy cold, damp cloth against the haemorrhoids.
Use moist toilet paper to pat yourself clean after you have a bowel movement. Avoid rubbing the haemorrhoids.
Ask your midwife, doctor or a pharmacist about over-the-counter haemorrhoid treatments that are safe to use during pregnancy.

Indigestion, heartburn and reflux

Indigestion, heartburn and reflux are common at any time during pregnancy and especially from 12 weeks.

These tips can reduce indigestion, heartburn and reflux:

Eat small meals regularly.
After eating, wait at least 2 hours before lying down.
Try not to drink 2-3 hours before bed. But still drink whenever you’re thirsty, and drink plenty of water during the day.
When you’re lying down, use pillows to keep your head and shoulders a bit higher than the rest of your body.
Avoid spicy, fatty and acidic foods and drinks like citrus fruit juices, carbonated drinks and caffeine.
Sleep on your left side.

Ask your midwife or doctor about heartburn medicines that are safe to use during pregnancy.

Leg and foot cramps

Leg and foot cramps are when a muscle in the leg or foot suddenly tightens, which causes sharp pain. It’s most common to get cramps in your calf muscles.

You can have leg or foot cramps at any time during pregnancy. You’re more likely to have them if you haven’t been drinking enough, especially in hot or humid weather.

Most cramps go away by themselves within 10 minutes. You can relieve the pain by stretching or massaging the muscle or standing and putting weight on the leg.

Morning sickness

Morning sickness can start very early in pregnancy. It usually peaks at 6-12 weeks and starts easing by 14 weeks. It’s usually at its worst early in the day, but it can happen at any time of the day or night.

Here are tips for managing morning sickness symptoms:

Eat smaller meals and snacks more often.
Work out what you can eat without feeling sick – this might be foods that are salty, bland, dry or high in protein.
Avoid foods that make you feel sick.
Drink small amounts often. Try cold, clear, carbonated or sour drinks.
Take regular naps.
Talk to your midwife or doctor about over-the-counter medicines and supplements that are safe for pregnancy.

Urination

Needing to urinate frequently is very common throughout pregnancy. This can make it hard to fall asleep, and you might wake up more often during the night.

If you’re waking up often because you need to urinate, try these tips:

Aim for the recommended daily intake of 2.3 L or 9 cups of water during the day.
Try to drink less water at night – but drink whenever you’re thirsty.

During the day, there’s not much you can do to avoid feeling an increased need to urinate. But you can strengthen your pelvic floor muscles for better control of your bladder and prevention of incontinence.

Varicose veins

Varicose veins tend to appear as early as 12 weeks, usually in the legs.

Here are ways to relieve pain from varicose veins:

Do regular exercise.
Avoid standing still for too long.
Avoid wearing tight-fitting clothing or high heels.
Sit with your legs up as often as possible.
Put ice-packs on the veins.
Lie on your left side to increase blood flow from your legs back to your heart.

Varicose veins usually go away by themselves by the time your baby is 4 months old.

There are some physical and emotional changes that might point to less common and more serious problems in pregnancy. If you’re showing signs of serious health problems in pregnancy, it’s important to call your midwife, doctor or maternity hospital as soon as possible.

Risk factors for pregnancy health problems

You might be more likely to develop a health problem in pregnancy if you:

had a health problem or complication with a previous pregnancy
have a medical condition
have a family history of a condition that might cause problems in pregnancy.

If this sounds like you, tell your midwife or doctor at your early antenatal appointments. Your midwife or doctor will keep a closer eye on you and your baby, and they’ll offer treatment and support during your pregnancy if you need it.

Reducing the chance of pregnancy health problems

For some pregnancy health problems, there’s no way to stop them from happening.

But you can reduce your chance of having pregnancy health problems – or stop them from getting worse – by going to your antenatal appointments and telling your midwife or doctor if you have any of the symptoms listed above.

The earlier you tell your health professional about symptoms, the better.

If you do have a pregnancy health problem, your midwife or doctor can check on you and give you options for treatment and support.

Staying healthy, hygienic and safe in pregnancy

A healthy, hygienic and safe lifestyle can reduce the likelihood that you’ll have some pregnancy health problems.

Here are tips for staying healthy in pregnancy:

Eat healthy food, and do regular physical activity.
Look after your pelvic floor.
Quit smoking or vaping, alcohol and non-prescribed drugs.
Reduce the risk of stillbirth by being aware of your baby’s unique movements and sleeping on your side.
Get immunised.

It’s also important to practise good hygiene:

Look after your teeth – brush with fluoride toothpaste twice a day with a soft toothbrush, use dental floss each day, and see your dentist at least once a year.
Wash your hands regularly, especially when around sick people and after using the toilet.
Avoid sharing food, drinks and cutlery, and avoid kissing children on or near the lips.

And if you’re travelling in a car, keep your bump safe by wearing one seatbelt strap above it and one strap below it.