Pregnancy complications can occur due to a medical condition you had before pregnancy. They can also develop while you are pregnant. Pregnancy complications can happen even if you’re healthy.

Some common pregnancy complications include:

• Anemia: The amount of blood in your body increases during pregnancy. If you don’t have enough iron to make red blood cells, you may develop anemia.
• Depression and anxiety: Mental health issues can happen any time during or after pregnancy. Treatment can improve your pregnancy and parenting experience.
• Gestational diabetes: Diabetes affects your ability to control the level of sugar in your blood. Hormone changes during pregnancy can cause gestational diabetes.
• High blood pressure and preeclampsia: Hypertension (high blood pressure) during and before pregnancy can prevent blood flow to your baby. Preeclampsia is a serious condition where you have ongoing high blood pressure after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
• Infections: Infections can be dangerous to you and your baby. Talk to your provider about steps you can take to prevent infections during pregnancy.
• Hyperemesis gravidarum: Morning sickness is common during the first three months of pregnancy. Hyperemesis gravidarum is severe and ongoing nausea and vomiting that prevent you from getting enough food and water.
• Placental problems: Your placenta is the tissue that passes blood between you and your baby. Problems can occur if your placenta blocks your uterus opening (placenta previa), separates from the uterine wall (placental abruption) or if the placenta is sticking to your old cesarean scar (accreta).

Your baby can also develop problems during pregnancy, such as:

• Congenital abnormalities: Congenital abnormalities are differences in your baby’s body or how it functions. They develop very early in pregnancy.
• Fetal anemia: Fetal anemia happens when your baby doesn’t have enough red blood cells because something is affecting their formation.
• Fetal growth restriction (FGR): An unborn baby with FGR is very small for the age of the pregnancy.

The causes of pregnancy complications vary widely. They may be related to medical conditions, health habits or your family history. In many cases, the cause is unknown.

There are some factors that may increase the risk of pregnancy complications, such as:

Your health care provider may diagnose a pregnancy complication during routine prenatal screening and genetic testing or after you have symptoms.

Tests providers use to diagnose pregnancy complications include:

• Blood pressure test to find out if you have high blood pressure or preeclampsia
• Blood tests to check for problems, such as anemia, diabetes and some infections
• Ultrasound imaging to look at your placenta and your baby’s development

You can’t always prevent pregnancy complications, but staying healthy can decrease your risk. Knowing what to eat and what to avoid during pregnancy can be hard to figure out. Your health care provider is your best resource for this information.

Tips our experts suggest for a safe and healthy pregnancy include:

• Avoid harmful substances, including alcohol, smoking, drugs, dangerous chemicals and organisms that cause infections
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet and take a daily prenatal vitamin
• Exercise safely
• Get regular prenatal care
• Manage your health conditions before and during pregnancy
• Start pregnancy at a healthy weight and gain the right amount of weight during pregnancy
• Talk to your health care provider right away if something doesn’t feel right

At UC Davis Health, you and your baby receive care from highly trained specialists. Our high-risk pregnancy team includes maternal fetal medicine physicians, maternal fetal radiologists (imaging specialists), fetal surgeons, fetal cardiologists, neonatologists (newborn specialists), genetic counselors, neonatal hospice, dietitians and social workers. They work together seamlessly and quickly to provide: