Pregnancy Support & Common Topics

Pregnancy Support & Common Topics — part of the Belly to Bump sourced pregnancy and parenting guide.

Pregnancy loss & stillbirth

  • The loss of a pregnancy before 13 completed weeks is medically called early pregnancy loss (also called miscarriage or spontaneous abortion), and it happens in about 10 of 100 known pregnancies.Source: ACOG
  • About half of early miscarriages happen because the embryo does not develop properly, often due to an abnormal number of chromosomes — and in almost every case, miscarriage is not the woman's fault: normal activities like working, exercising, stress, arguments, having sex, or having used birth control pills before pregnancy do not cause it.Source: ACOG
  • Bleeding is the most common sign of miscarriage; call your ob-gyn if you notice vaginal spotting or bleeding (with or without pain), a gush of fluid from the vagina even without pain or bleeding, or passage of tissue from the vagina — though a small amount of early bleeding is common and does not necessarily mean a miscarriage is happening.Source: ACOG
  • Pregnancy loss in the first trimester is usually a one-time event, and most women who have an early pregnancy loss go on to have successful pregnancies; repeated (two or more) miscarriages are rare, and even when no cause is found after testing, most women still go on to have a successful pregnancy.Source: ACOG
  • After a miscarriage, losing a pregnancy can cause sadness and grief, and for many women emotional healing takes longer than physical healing; partners' grief may differ, and reaching out to an ob-gyn, a counselor, or a support group can help.Source: ACOG
  • When a fetus dies in the uterus after 20 weeks of pregnancy, it is called a stillbirth — a distinct medical term from miscarriage (which refers to loss before 20 weeks); the reasons for most stillbirths are unknown, though possible causes include birth defects, fetal growth problems, infections, maternal medical conditions, labor/delivery complications, and umbilical cord problems.Source: ACOG

Twins & multiples

  • The most common complication of a twin or higher-order multiple pregnancy is preterm birth: more than half of all twins are born preterm, and triplets and higher-order multiples are almost always born preterm.Source: ACOG
  • Babies born before 37 weeks may have an increased risk of short- and long-term health problems (breathing, eating, staying warm, and later learning/behavioral issues); babies born very preterm (before 32 weeks) can die or have severe health problems even with the best care — which is why multiple pregnancies are monitored more closely.Source: ACOG
  • Monochorionic twins (who share one placenta) have a higher risk of complications than twins with separate placentas, including twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), where blood flow between the twins becomes unbalanced — one twin donates blood and has too little, the other receives too much; the earlier TTTS occurs, the more serious the outcome can be.Source: ACOG
  • Women carrying multiples have a higher risk of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, and having multiples might also increase the risk of postpartum depression — intense sadness, anxiety, or despair that interferes with daily tasks should be discussed with an ob-gyn or other member of the care team.Source: ACOG

Morning sickness

  • The exact cause of morning sickness isn't known, though hormone changes are thought to play a role; it is very common, affecting many people especially during the first three months of pregnancy, and rarely a non-pregnancy condition like thyroid or gallbladder disease is behind severe nausea/vomiting instead.Source: Mayo Clinic
  • Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy typically begins before 9 weeks of pregnancy; for most women it resolves by around 14 weeks, though for some it lasts weeks or months longer, and for a few it continues throughout the pregnancy.Source: ACOG
  • Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy is common and, in its typical mild-to-moderate form, usually does not harm the developing fetus or mean anything is wrong with the pregnancy — though it can still disrupt daily life, and safe treatment options exist to help manage symptoms.Source: ACOG
  • Hyperemesis gravidarum is the medical term for the most severe form of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, distinct from typical morning sickness, and it affects up to about 3% of pregnancies; it is generally diagnosed when a woman has lost 5% or more of her pre-pregnancy body weight along with signs of dehydration, and it may require hospital treatment to restore fluids and stop the vomiting.Source: ACOG
  • Practical management includes eating small, frequent 'mini meals' so the stomach is never empty (rather than three large meals), nibbling dry crackers or toast before getting out of bed, choosing bland/high-protein foods, staying hydrated, trying ginger, and steering clear of foods or smells that trigger nausea.Source: ACOG
  • Warning signs that warrant calling an obstetric care provider include dehydration symptoms such as passing only a small amount of dark urine, being unable to urinate, being unable to keep liquids down, feeling dizzy or faint when standing, or having a racing or pounding heartbeat.Source: ACOG

Educational reference only — not medical advice. Every pregnancy is different. If you are experiencing possible signs of pregnancy loss, contact your doctor or midwife right away.