Common Labour Complications

If you have are pregnant and want to understand the common labour complications that could occur so that you can be prepared, we list out a set of complications. As long as you are aware and seek your doctor's advice regularly, there's nothing to worry, although it helps to be well-informed and aware.

• Premature labour/delivery: A pregnancy that is full terms lasts for about 40 weeks. If you go into labour before 37 weeks of your pregnancy, it is termed preterm/premature labour. A baby that is born early is a premature baby and could have immature lungs, digestive troubles or problems with respiration. Such a baby needs to be placed in an incubator and given extra care.

• Prolonged labour: If there is a labour which drags on for too long, called ‘failure to progress', the baby and mother could be at risk of complications, including infections.

• Bleeding problems: Postpartum haemorrhage is when you bleed way too much after giving birth. This could happen when you go through a caesarean section or a vaginal birth. Factors like multiple gestation could make bleeding more likely.

• Presentation: The part of the baby that ‘presents' itself first from the birth canal is called presentation. In ideal circumstances, the baby is placed in a head-down position, and faces the mother's back. The smallest part of your baby comes down through the cervix and into your birth canal. This is called the vertex and is under normal circumstances. However, when the baby presents itself with its buttocks or feet towards the birth canal, it is called a breech. Abnormal presentations mean that the woman's risk for injuries and labour increase.  

• Prolapse of umbilical cord: Your baby gets nutrients and oxygen from you through the placenta and the umbilical cord. When the umbilical cord slips through the cervix once your water breaks, it may protrude from your vagina and cause a blockage. This is an emergency situation, and you would need help immediately.

• Lacerations in the perineal region: A laceration could occur in the perineal region during delivery, and is more common with your first baby. However, there are four degrees of lacerations, and the first-degree laceration causes minimal pain and needs very few stitches. The third and fourth-degree lacerations are very rare. In the second-degree case, some stitches are needed.

• Amniotic cavity problems: When there's too little or too much of amniotic fluid before labour, it causes problems. Amniotic fluid cushions your baby, and boosts the little one's digestive system and lungs. If your waters break early, you go into premature labour. Also the umbilical cord may get squashed by the baby. Too much fluid could put you at greater risk of the cord falling through the cervical opening. Your baby may also suffer from genetic abnormalities.

If you consult an expert or the best gynaecologist in Bangalore, he or she will monitor your situation and protect you from these complications. There are many pregnancy hospitals in Bangalore but make sure to choose the best one.