Haemorrhoids (piles) are swollen veins at or inside the anal area, resulting from impaired venous return, straining associated with constipation, or increased intra-abdominal pressure in later pregnancy. They are more common in pregnant than non-pregnant women. It is reported by 16% of women at 6 months postpartum. Most pregnant women in countries where the diet is not heavily fiber-based may develop hemorrhoids, although they will usually be asymptomatic. Hemorrhoids can cause bleeding, itching, soiling or pain, and they can become strangulated. Symptoms may resolve spontaneously after pregnancy, although hemorrhoids are also common in the days after childbirth. Conservative treatments for hemorrhoids in pregnancy include dietary modification, local treatments, bowel stimulants or depressants, or phlebotonics (to strengthen capillaries and improve microcirculation). Treatment with oral hydroxyethylrutosides may help improve first and second degree hemorrhoids, but more information on safety in pregnancy is needed. Other treatments and approaches have not been evaluated in pregnant women.

Pica is a craving for nonedible items such as dirt or clay. It is caused by iron deficiency which is normal during pregnancy and can be overcome with iron in prenatal vitamins or, if severe, parenteral iron

Factors increasing the risk (to either the woman, the fetus/es, or both) of pregnancy complications beyond the normal level of risk may be present in a woman's medical profile either before she becomes pregnant or during the pregnancy. These pre-existing factors may relate to physical and/or mental health, and/or to social issues, or a combination.

Some common risk factors include:

- Age of either parent

- Adolescent parents

- Older parents

- Exposure to environmental toxins in pregnancy

- Exposure to recreational drugs in pregnancy:

- Ethanol during pregnancy can cause fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

- Tobacco smoking and pregnancy, when combined, causes twice the risk of premature rupture of membranes, placental abruption and placenta previa. Also, it causes 30% higher odds of the baby being born prematurely.

- Prenatal cocaine exposure is associated with, for example, premature birth, birth defects and attention deficit disorder.

- Prenatal methamphetamine exposure can cause premature birth and congenital abnormalities. Other investigations have revealed short-term neonatal outcomes to include small deficits in infant neurobehavioral function and growth restriction when compared to control infants. Also, prenatal methamphetamine use is believed to have long-term effects in terms of brain development, which may last for many years.

- Cannabis in pregnancy is possibly associated with adverse effects on the child later in life.

- Exposure to Pharmaceutical drugs in pregnancy. Anti-depressants, for example, may increase risks of such outcomes as preterm delivery.

- Ionizing radiation

- Risks arising from previous pregnancies:

- Complications experienced during a previous pregnancy are more likely to recur.

- Many previous pregnancies. Women who have had five previous pregnancies face increased risks of very rapid labor and excessive bleeding after delivery.

- Multiple previous fetuses. Women who have had more than one fetus in a previous pregnancy face increased risk of mislocated placenta.

- Multiple pregnancy, that is, having more than one fetus in a single pregnancy.

- Social and socioeconomic factors. Generally speaking, unmarried women and those in lower socioeconomic groups experience an increased level of risk in pregnancy, due at least in part to lack of access to appropriate prenatal care.

- Unintended pregnancy. Unintended pregnancies preclude preconception care and delays prenatal care. They preclude other preventive care, may disrupt life plans and on average have worse health and psychological outcomes for the mother and, if birth occurs, the child.

- Height. Pregnancy in women whose height is less than 1.5 meters (5 feet) correlates with higher incidences of preterm birth and underweight babies. Also, these women are more likely to have a small pelvis, which can result in such complications during childbirth as shoulder dystocia.

- Weight

- Low weight: Women whose pre-pregnancy weight is less than 45.5 kilograms (100 pounds) are more likely to have underweight babies.

- Obese women are more likely to have very large babies, potentially increasing difficulties in childbirth. Obesity also increases the chances of developing gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, preeclampsia, experiencing postterm pregnancy and/or requiring a cesarean delivery.

- Intercurrent disease in pregnancy, that is, a disease and condition not necessarily directly caused by the pregnancy, such as diabetes mellitus in pregnancy, SLE in pregnancy or thyroid disease in pregnancy.

Some disorders and conditions can mean that pregnancy is considered high-risk (about 6-8% of pregnancies in the USA) and in extreme cases may be contraindicated. High-risk pregnancies are the main focus of doctors specialising in maternal-fetal medicine.

Serious pre-existing disorders which can reduce a woman's physical ability to survive pregnancy include a range of congenital defects (that is, conditions with which the woman herself was born, for example, those of the heart or , some of which are listed above) and diseases acquired at any time during the woman's life.

The following have been identified as risk factors for placenta previa:

- Previous placenta previa (recurrence rate 4–8%), caesarean delivery, myomectomy or endometrium damage caused by D&C.

- Women who are younger than 20 are at higher risk and women older than 35 are at increasing risk as they get older.

- Alcohol use during pregnancy was previous listed as a risk factor, but is discredited by this article.

- Women who have had previous pregnancies ( multiparity ), especially a large number of closely spaced pregnancies, are at higher risk due to uterine damage.

- Smoking during pregnancy; cocaine use during pregnancy

- Women with a large placentae from twins or erythroblastosis are at higher risk.

- Race is a controversial risk factor, with some studies finding that people from Asia and Africa are at higher risk and others finding no difference.

- Placental pathology (Vellamentous insertion, succinturiate lobes, bipartite i.e. bilobed placenta etc.)

- Baby is in an unusual position: breech (buttocks first) or transverse (lying horizontally across the womb).

Placenta previa is itself a risk factor of placenta accreta.

The effects of HG on the fetus are mainly due to electrolyte imbalances caused by HG in the mother. Infants of women with severe hyperemesis who gain less than 7 kg (15.4 lb) during pregnancy tend to be of lower birth weight, small for gestational age, and born before 37 weeks gestation. In contrast, infants of women with hyperemesis who have a pregnancy weight gain of more than 7 kg appear similar to infants from uncomplicated pregnancies. There is no significant difference in the neonatal death rate in infants born to mothers with HG compared to infants born to mothers who do not have HG. Children born to mothers with undertreated Hyperemesis have a fourfold increase in neurobehavioral diagnoses.

Maternal consequences include the following:

- Itching, which can become intense and debilitating

- Premature labor

- Deranged clotting, which requires Vitamin K

Fetal consequences include:

- Fetal distress

- Meconium ingestion

- Meconium aspiration syndrome

- Stillbirth

Delivery has been recommended in the 38th week when lung maturity has been established.

Not only is obesity associated with miscarriage, it can result in sub-fertility and other adverse pregnancy outcomes. Recurrent miscarriage is also related to obesity. Women with bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa may have a greater risk for miscarriage. Nutrient deficiencies have not been found to impact miscarriage rates but hyperemesis gravidarum sometimes precedes a miscarriage.

Caffeine consumption also has been correlated to miscarriage rates, at least at higher levels of intake. However, such higher rates have been found to be statistically significant only in certain circumstances.

Vitamin supplementation has generally not shown to be effective in preventing miscarriage. Chinese traditional medicine has not been found to prevent miscarriage.

Emergency exploratory laparotomy with cesarean delivery accompanied by fluid and blood transfusion are indicated for the management of uterine rupture. Depending on the nature of the rupture and the condition of the patient, the uterus may be either repaired or removed (cesarean hysterectomy). Delay in management places both mother and child at significant risk.

The age of the pregnant woman is a significant risk factor. Miscarriage rates increase steadily with age, with more substantial increases after age 35. In those under the age of 35 the risk is about 10% while it is about 45% in those over the age of 40. Risk begins to increase around the age of 30. Paternal age is associated with increased risk.

Vomiting is a common condition affecting about 50% of pregnant women, with another 25% having nausea. However, the incidence of HG is only 0.3–1.5%. After preterm labor, hyperemesis gravidarum is the second most common reason for hospital admission during the first half of pregnancy. Factors such as infection with "Helicobacter pylori", a rise in thyroid hormone production, low age, low body mass index prior to pregnancy, multiple pregnancies, molar pregnancies, and a past history of hyperemesis gravidarum have been associated with the development of HG.

Exact cause of placenta previa is unknown. It is hypothesized to be related to abnormal vascularisation of the endometrium caused by scarring or atrophy from previous trauma, surgery, or infection. These factors may reduce differential growth of lower segment, resulting in less upward shift in placental position as pregnancy advances.

A uterine scar from a previous cesarean section is the most common risk factor. (In one review, 52% had previous cesarean scars.) Other forms of uterine surgery that result in full-thickness incisions (such as a myomectomy), dysfunctional labor, labor augmentation by oxytocin or prostaglandins, and high parity may also set the stage for uterine rupture. In 2006, an extremely rare case of uterine rupture in a first pregnancy with no risk factors was reported.

Fertility following ectopic pregnancy depends upon several factors, the most important of which is a prior history of infertility. The treatment choice does not play a major role; A randomized study in 2013 concluded that the rates of intrauterine pregnancy 2 years after treatment of ectopic pregnancy are approximately 64% with radical surgery, 67% with medication, and 70% with conservative surgery. In comparison, the cumulative pregnancy rate of women under 40 years of age in the general population over 2 years is over 90%.

When ectopic pregnancies are treated, the prognosis for the mother is very good in Western countries; maternal death is rare, but most fetuses die or are aborted. For instance, in the UK, between 2003 and 2005 there were 32,100 ectopic pregnancies resulting in 10 maternal deaths (meaning that 1 in 3,210 women with an ectopic pregnancy died).

In the developing world, however, especially in Africa, the death rate is very high, and ectopic pregnancies are a major cause of death among women of childbearing age.

For most women, PGP resolves in weeks after delivery but for some it can last for years resulting in a reduced tolerance for weight bearing activities. PGP can take from 11 weeks, 6 months or even up to 2 years postpartum to subside. However, some research supports that the average time to complete recovery is 6.25 years, and the more severe the case is, the longer recovery period.

Overall, about 45% of all pregnant women and 25% of all women postpartum suffer from PGP. During pregnancy, serious pain occurs in about 25%, and severe disability in about 8% of patients. After pregnancy, problems are serious in about 7%. There is no correlation between age, culture, nationality and numbers of pregnancies that determine a higher incidence of PGP.

If a woman experiences PGP during one pregnancy, she is more likely to experience it in subsequent pregnancies; but the severity cannot be determined.

Being pregnant decreases the risk of relapse in multiple sclerosis; however, during the first months after delivery the risk increases. Overall, pregnancy does not seem to influence long-term disability. Multiple sclerosis does not increase the risk of congenital abnormality or miscarriage.

In many cases, RLP is confused with other conditions that cause abdominal pain. Described below are some problematic diagnoses related to RLP.

- RLP and appendicitis

A 22-year-old pregnant woman presenting abdominal pains was initially diagnosed with RLP and was discharged. Subsequent symptoms and further tests revealed acute non-perforated appendicitis that required surgery. Appendectomy was successful but premature labor occurred 7 days after discharge, leading to spontaneous abortion.

- RLP and inguinal hernia

Several cases of varicosity, of the round ligament during pregnancy leading to RLP have been reported although they were frequently misdiagnosed as inguinal hernia.

In one case, a woman in the 28th week of gestation developed a lump in the left pubic area. The swelling was prominent when standing but not in the supine position and has a cough impulse. Ultrasonography revealed varicosities on the uterine round ligament.

In another case, a woman at 22 weeks gestation was diagnosed with inguinal hernia and underwent surgery. Explorative surgery did not locate a hernia but revealed varicosities of the round ligament. Resection of the uterine ligament was successfully performed and no perinatal and postpartum complications were reported.

- Postpartum RLP

Several cases of postpartum RLP have been reported. In one case, a 27-year-old woman presented with abdominal pain 24 hours after normal vaginal delivery. Another case was that of a 29-year-old woman who presented with RLP 3 days after delivery. In both cases, initial diagnosis was inguinal hernia. In the first case, emergency surgery did not locate any hernia but found the round ligament of the uterus to be edematous and filled with thrombosed varicose veins. The thrombosed part was excised and the patient recovered without sequelae.

Another case report described a 37-year-old woman presenting with inguinal mass 6 days after normal vaginal delivery. CT and MRI revealed thrombosed blood vessels along the inguinal course of the uterine round ligament that extended towards the labia majora.

- RLP and endometriosis

Several cases of inguinal endometriosis, that infiltrates the round ligament of the uterus have been reported in fertile, non-pregnant women. In the majority of these cases, diagnosis was problematic. In some cases, definitive diagnosis of round ligament endometriosis was only possible during exploratory surgery.

- RLP and myoma

Cases of myoma-like growth occurring on the uterine round ligament have been reported.

- RLP and IVF

Gonadotropin stimulation during in vitro fertilization can induce cyst development in certain parts of the female reproductive system. A case report documented the development of a mesothelial cyst on the uterine round ligament of a woman after IVF stimulation.

Abdominal pains during pregnancy may be due to various pathologies. RLP is one of the most common and benign of these pains. However, diagnosis of RLP is problematic. Some of the conditions that may present symptoms similar to those of RLP are appendicitis, ectopic pregnancy, kidney stones, urinary tract infection, uterine contractions, inguinal hernia, ovarian cysts, and endometriosis. If abdominal pain is continuous and accompanied by vaginal bleeding, excessive vaginal discharge, fever, chills, or vomiting, then it is most unlikely to be RLP and immediate consultation with a health care provider is warranted.

Physical examination, ultrasonography, and blood and urine tests may be able to pinpoint the actual cause of abdominal pain. In some cases, however, RLP was only diagnosed during exploratory surgery.

Upon diagnosis, many providers will prescribe Ursodeoxycholic Acid. While there is no cure for ICP, and no way to guarantee a successful outcome, studies have shown a slightly better fetal and maternal outcome from administration of Ursodeoxycholic Acid, whereas Cholestyramine appears to only relieve itching.

If additional blood tests to check clotting function identify a problem, giving Vitamin K may help avoid the risk of hemorrhage at delivery.

Delivery by 35–37 completed weeks may be important to fetal outcome as a recent study demonstrated that in severe ICP (defined as bile acids greater than 40 umol/L) the risk of stillbirth was 1.5% compared to 0.5% of uncomplicated pregnancies. This risk rose further if bile acids doubled,

A pregnant woman may have intercurrent diseases, defined as disease not directly caused by the pregnancy, but that may become worse or be a potential risk to the pregnancy.

- Diabetes mellitus and pregnancy deals with the interactions of diabetes mellitus (not restricted to gestational diabetes) and pregnancy. Risks for the child include miscarriage, growth restriction, growth acceleration, fetal obesity (macrosomia), polyhydramnios (too much amniotic fluid), and birth defects.

- Thyroid disease in pregnancy can, if uncorrected, cause adverse effects on fetal and maternal well-being. The deleterious effects of thyroid dysfunction can also extend beyond pregnancy and delivery to affect neurointellectual development in the early life of the child. Demand for thyroid hormones is increased during pregnancy which may cause a previously unnoticed thyroid disorder to worsen.

- Untreated celiac disease can cause spontaneous abortion (miscarriage), intrauterine growth restriction, small for gestational age, low birthweight and preterm birth. Often reproductive disorders are the only manifestation of undiagnosed celiac disease and most cases are not recognized. Complications or failures of pregnancy cannot be explained simply by malabsorption, but by the autoimmune response elicited by the exposure to gluten, which causes damage to the placenta. The gluten-free diet avoids or reduces the risk of developing reproductive disorders in pregnant women with celiac disease. Also, pregnancy can be a trigger for the development of celiac disease in genetically susceptible women who are consuming gluten.

- Systemic lupus erythematosus in pregnancy confers an increased rate of fetal death "in utero," spontaneous abortion, and of neonatal lupus.

- Hypercoagulability in pregnancy is the propensity of pregnant women to develop thrombosis (blood clots). Pregnancy itself is a factor of hypercoagulability (pregnancy-induced hypercoagulability), as a physiologically adaptive mechanism to prevent "post partum" bleeding. However, in combination with an underlying hypercoagulable states, the risk of thrombosis or embolism may become substantial.

Hypercoagulability in pregnancy is the propensity of pregnant women to develop thrombosis (blood clots). Pregnancy itself is a factor of hypercoagulability (pregnancy-induced hypercoagulability), as a physiologically adaptive mechanism to prevent "post partum" bleeding. However, when combined with an additional underlying hypercoagulable states, the risk of thrombosis or embolism may become substantial.

Intrauterine exposure to environmental toxins in pregnancy has the potential to cause adverse effects on the development of the embryo/fetus and to cause pregnancy complications. Air pollution has been associated with low birth weight infants. Conditions of particular severity in pregnancy include mercury poisoning and lead poisoning. To minimize exposure to environmental toxins, the "American College of Nurse-Midwives" recommends: checking whether the home has lead paint, washing all fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly and buying organic produce, and avoiding cleaning products labeled "toxic" or any product with a warning on the label.

Pregnant women can also be exposed to toxins in the workplace, including airborne particles. The effects of wearing N95 filtering facepiece respirators are similar for pregnant women as non-pregnant women, and wearing a respirator for one hour does not affect the fetal heart rate.

Because pregnancy is outside the uterus, abdominal pregnancy serves as a model of human male pregnancy or for females who lack a uterus, although such pregnancy would be dangerous.

Cases of combined simultaneous abdominal and intrauterine pregnancy have been reported.

Although the risk of placental abruption cannot be eliminated, it can be reduced. Avoiding tobacco, alcohol and cocaine during pregnancy decreases the risk. Staying away from activities which have a high risk of physical trauma is also important. Women who have high blood pressure or who have had a previous placental abruption and want to conceive must be closely supervised by a doctor.

The risk of placental abruption can be reduced by maintaining a good diet including taking folic acid, regular sleep patterns and correction of pregnancy-induced hypertension.

It is crucial for women to be made aware of the signs of placental abruption, such as vaginal bleeding, and that if they experience such symptoms they must get into contact with their health care provider/the hospital "without any delay".