There are a number of conditions that can cause potentially serious problems. In this section I outline the most common ones, although remember that even these ones are rare. It is important during your pregnancy to keep all of your antenatal appointments so that anything can be picked up on quickly and early and if you ever feel like something is just not right do not wait for symptoms to develop go and see your doctor straight away, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Pre-eclampsia (also known as Toxaemia or Pregnancy Induced Hypertension, PIH) is not fully understood, but basically it is when the mother's body becomes increasingly unable to cope with the pregnancy. It usually develops after 20 weeks and may be sudden or slow-onset. Symptoms include a rise in blood pressure, protein in the urine; and oedema, which causes swelling in the ankles, feet and hands. There are other possible reasons for having protein in the urine or swollen ankles, but if two or more of the above occur together your doctor will take them seriously and you will most likely be sent to hospital where you will be monitored closely. If the doctors find that you are suffering from pre-eclampsia and the situation seems to worsen, your baby may have to be delivered. This is done to prevent pre-eclampsia from developing into eclampsia, in which the mother has seizures. Once pre-eclampsia becomes severe the pregnancy cannot be continued, as it will put both mother and baby at risk. If however you have slow-onset or mild pre-eclamsia this may be managed for up to several weeks.

This is when the placenta is attached to the lower uterine wall and partially or completely covering the cervix. If you were to go into labour, the placenta would be expelled first, before the baby, endangering his life. If you have placenta praevia, you will need to have a Caesarean section. This condition is usually picked up during routine ultrasound scans, but bleeding during pregnancy may indicate it. Remember to always have any bleeding during pregnancy checked out even although it may not be anything to worry about.

If you have Diabetes then your body isn't producing enough insulin to regulate your blood sugar. Insulin is a hormone that helps the body use sugar, the body's main source of fuel. Women who have diabetes have too much sugar in their blood.
If you have pre-existing diabetes then you will have been considered "high risk" since the start of your pregnancy; however some women develop "gestational diabetes" during pregnancy, which usually goes away after delivery. Symptoms may include feeling thirsty and weak, although diabetes can occur without symptoms. Your midwife will check your blood sugar level or check a urine sample for glucose, which can indicate diabetes. If you do develop gestational diabetes, your pregnancy will be closely monitored and you'll have to follow a special diet or take insulin.