Obstetrics is a medical field that specializes in caring for women during preconception, pregnancy, childbirth, and after childbirth. Obstetrics McAllen, TX helps ensure you and your baby are healthy, and you can have a safe delivery. Your obstetrician schedules regular checkups and exams to monitor your child’s health and treat any potential issue early to prevent complications. The provider also monitors your baby’s growth and size throughout your pregnancy. Here are common conditions treated in obstetrics.
Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is a severe blood pressure problem that occurs during pregnancy, typically after the twentieth week. Most patients with preeclampsia usually experience high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine. Other symptoms include headaches, blurry vision, light sensitivity, hand and face swelling, shortness of breath, and abdominal pain in your right side. If preeclampsia occurs earlier in pregnancy, your doctor will monitor you closely to ensure you and your baby are safe. You will deliver your baby early if your pregnancy is thirty-seven weeks or greater.
Placental abruption
Placental abruption is a pregnancy complication where the placenta separates from your womb before delivery. The placenta provides nutrients and oxygen to the growing fetus through the umbilical cord and eliminates waste from the fetus’s blood. In placental abruption, the placenta can partially or completely detach, decreasing the amount of oxygen and nutrients the fetus gets. Placental abruption can lead to premature birth, stillbirth, or low birth. The birthing parent can experience blood loss or blood clotting problems.
Gestational diabetes
Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy, where blood sugar levels get too high. It often develops between twenty-four to twenty-eight weeks. Hormones can disrupt how insulin works, leading to gestational diabetes. You may not experience symptoms when you have gestational diabetes, but if present, you can experience frequent urination, nausea, thirst, and tiredness. Obstetricians recommend a healthy diet and exercise to manage the condition in most patients. Your doctor may also prescribe medications.
Ectopic pregnancy
An ectopic pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg implants outside your uterus, mostly in your fallopian tube. Only your uterus can carry your pregnancy, so it becomes ectopic if it implants in any other part. An ectopic pregnancy can be life-threatening, especially if the fallopian tubes break, causing severe bleeding, infection, or death. Your obstetrician can manage your ectopic pregnancy through a drug known as methotrexate to end your pregnancy, as it stops the fertilized egg from growing. Surgery can help remove ectopic pregnancy if the fallopian tube has ruptured.
Morning sickness
Morning sickness is a common condition that affects pregnant women and is characterized by nausea and vomiting. Morning sickness happens briefly in most people, but in others, it can be severe nausea lasting several hours daily and vomiting happening frequently. Severe morning sickness can lead to extreme dehydration and losing five or more pounds. Your obstetrician may recommend you receive IV fluids to restore hydration, drink plenty of fluids, and eat healthily.
Obstetrics offers prenatal, pregnancy, and post-natal care. Obstetricians can treat many pregnancy-related conditions, including preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, morning sickness, ectopic pregnancy, and placental abruption. Schedule an appointment Women’s Clinic of the Rio Grande Valley for obstetrics services to manage your pregnancy conditions.
