As a black woman who hopes to becomepregnantsomeday, statistics are scaring me into second-guessing my desires.
Around 700 people in the United States die from pregnancy-related complications each year, theCDCsays.
Another crushing statistic: About 60 percent of these pregnancy-related deaths are preventable.
D’Ara Nazaryan
So we’re trying to ensure that people know about symptoms and signs before they get to the hospital.
It shouldnt be on us to save ourselves.
But discrimination in health care is aclear factorin racial maternal mortality disparities.
Hypertension
Hypertensionis another term for high blood pressure.
Hypertension can be broken down into two other categories.
If left unmanaged, this can eventually lead to some of the life-threatening conditions on this list.
Throughout pregnancy, you want to keep your regular prenatal appointments, Dr. Brubaker says.
We know that can be easier said than done.
This potentially dangerous condition involves high blood pressure along with damage to essential organs like the kidneys,ACOGexplains.
HELLP syndrome can be deadly.
So can eclampsia, another condition that preeclampsia can cause if its not quickly discovered and treated.
Eclampsia
Around one in 200 pregnant people with untreated preeclampsia will develop eclampsia, according to theU.S.
This is essentially preeclampsia with seizures, and it can lead to coma or even death.
Otherwise, eclampsia can cause similar symptoms as preeclampsia.
Fibroids
Fibroids are benign tumors that form in or on the uterus, according to theMayo Clinic.
The fact that fibroids are non-cancerous is pretty much the only remotely good thing about them.
Fibroids can cause issues like intense pain and worryinglyheavy periods.
Signs to look for:Many people dont realize that they have fibroids.
Even if you do have them, they wont necessarily cause problems with pregnancy or childbirth.
It typically shows up around the 24th week of pregnancy, according to theCDC.
For some people, gestational diabetes goes away after pregnancy without causing any issues.
For others, it can contribute to pregnancy complications like high blood pressure, theCDCsays.
Regular contact with your doctor can help you catch any abnormalities before they turn into serious complications.
Black pregnant people seem more vulnerable to this condition and also often fare worse if they develop it.
If youre thinking that a lot of that just sounds like regular pregnancy symptoms, youre absolutely right.
But its important to see a doctor anyway if these symptoms are worrying you.
Stroke
Stroke can be lethal because it interrupts blood supply to the brain, according to theMayo Clinic.
This causes brain cells to die within minutes.
In fact, high blood pressure is the leading cause of stroke in pregnant and postpartum people, theCDCsays.
Postpartum hemorrhage
This potentially deadly complication happens when someone suffers severe blood loss after giving birth.
Anybody, even without certain conditions, can have a hemorrhage, Dr. Brubaker says.
Even a young woman who has had a vaginal birth that seemed uncomplicated can have a life-threatening hemorrhage.
This is when the uterus doesnt contract enough after labor, theMayo Clinicexplains.
When we say rare, we mean estimated to occur in0.23 to 3 percentof all pregnancies.
Venous thromboembolism
Venous thromboembolism describes the dangerous phenomenon of having blood clots in your veins, theCDCexplains.
This can be life-threatening.
Getting pregnant can make you around five times more likely to wind up with a blood clot, theCDCsays.
This blood clot risk is heightened through pregnancy and into the first three months after delivery.
They include swelling, pain, warmth, redness, and discoloration, according to theCDC.
Preterm birth
Any birth that occurs before 37 weeks is considered preterm, theCDCexplains.
According to a2017 CDC analysisof 27 states, around one in nine people experience symptoms of postpartum depression.
More research is necessary to confirm just how common both of these conditions may be.
(This study also had limitations, like only looking at people who intended to breastfeed.)
Lets start with postpartum depression.
Most importantly, you dont need to have all of these symptoms to justify getting help.
Worrying can also be a feature of postpartum depression, but its the hallmark ofpostpartum anxiety.
All pregnant people and new parents deserve to be safe, happy, and healthyblack ones included.
