Hyperemesis gravidarum is the presence of severe and persistent vomiting, causing dehydration and weight loss. It is more severe than the more common morning sickness and is estimated to affect 0.5–2.0% of pregnant women.

Gestational diabetes is when a woman without diabetes develops high blood sugar levels during pregnancy.

The symptoms and discomforts of pregnancy are those presentations and conditions that result from pregnancy but do not significantly interfere with activities of daily living or pose a threat to the health of the mother or baby. This is in contrast to pregnancy complications. Sometimes a symptom that is considered a discomfort can be considered a complication when it is more severe. For example, nausea (morning sickness) can be a discomfort, but if, in combination with significant vomiting it causes a water-electrolyte imbalance, it is a complication known as hyperemesis gravidarum.

Common symptoms and discomforts of pregnancy include:

- Tiredness.

- Constipation

- Pelvic girdle pain

- Back pain

- Braxton Hicks contractions. Occasional, irregular, and often painless contractions that occur several times per day.

- Edema (swelling). Common complaint in advancing pregnancy. Caused by compression of the inferior vena cava and pelvic veins by the uterus leads to increased hydrostatic pressure in lower extremities.

- Increased urinary frequency. A common complaint, caused by increased intravascular volume, elevated glomerular filtration rate, and compression of the bladder by the expanding uterus.

- Urinary tract infection

- Varicose veins. Common complaint caused by relaxation of the venous smooth muscle and increased intravascular pressure.

- Haemorrhoids (piles). Swollen veins at or inside the anal area. Caused by impaired venous return, straining associated with constipation, or increased intra-abdominal pressure in later pregnancy.

- Regurgitation, heartburn, and nausea.

- Stretch marks

- Breast tenderness is common during the first trimester, and is more common in women who are pregnant at a young age.

In addition, pregnancy may result in pregnancy complication such as deep vein thrombosis or worsening of an intercurrent disease in pregnancy.

Each year, ill health as a result of pregnancy is experienced (sometimes permanently) by more than 20 million women around the world. In 2013 complications of pregnancy resulted in 293,000 deaths down from 377,000 deaths in 1990. Common causes include maternal bleeding (44,000), complications of abortion (44,000), high blood pressure of pregnancy (29,000), maternal sepsis (24,000), and obstructed labor (19,000).

The following are some examples of pregnancy complications:

- Pregnancy induced hypertension

- Anemia

- Postpartum depression

- Postpartum psychosis

- Thromboembolic disorders. These are the leading cause of death in pregnant women in the US.

- PUPPP (Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy), a skin disease that develops around the 32nd week. Signs are red plaques, papules, and itchiness around the belly button that then spreads all over the body except for the inside of hands and face.

- Ectopic pregnancy, implantation of the embryo outside the uterus.

- Hyperemesis gravidarum, excessive nausea and vomiting that is more severe than normal morning sickness.

- Pulmonary embolism, blood clots that form in the legs that can migrate to the lungs.

There is also an increased susceptibility and severity of certain infections in pregnancy.

Signs and symptoms may initially include: an increased heart rate, feeling faint upon standing, and an increased breath rate. As more blood is lost the women may feel cold, their blood pressure may drop, and they may become unconscious.

Arterial occlusion may be due to thrombi, amniotic fragments or air embolism. Postpartum cerebral angiopathy is a transitory arterial spasm of medium caliber cerebral arteries; it was first described in cocaine and amphetamine addicts, but can also complicate ergot and bromocriptine prescribed to inhibit lactation. Subarachnoid haemorrhage can occur after miscarriage or childbirth. Epidural anaesthesia can, if the dura is punctured, lead to leakage of Cerebrospinal fluid and subdural haematoma. All these can occasionally present with psychiatric symptoms.

Depending on the definition in question, postpartum hemorrhage is defined as more than 500ml following vaginal delivery or 1000ml of blood loss following caesarean section in the first 24 hours following delivery.

Alcohol withdrawal states (delirium tremens) are recognized in addicts whose intake has been interrupted by trauma or surgery. This can occur after childbirth.

An intercurrent (or concurrent, concomitant or, in most cases, pre-existing) disease in pregnancy is a disease that is not directly caused by the pregnancy (in contrast to a complication of pregnancy), but which may become worse or be a potential risk to the pregnancy (such as "causing" pregnancy complications). A major component of this risk can result from necessary use of drugs in pregnancy to manage the disease.

In such circumstances, women who wish to continue with a pregnancy require extra medical care, often from an interdisciplinary team. Such a team might include (besides an obstetrician) a specialist in the disorder and other practitioners (for example, maternal-fetal specialists or obstetric physicians, dieticians, etc.).

Generally it is preferable to describe specific signs in lieu of declaring "fetal distress" that include:

- Decreased movement felt by the mother

- Meconium in the amniotic fluid ("meconium stained fluid")

- Non-reassuring patterns seen on cardiotocography:

- increased or decreased fetal heart rate (tachycardia and bradycardia), especially during and after a contraction

- decreased variability in the fetal heart rate

- late decelerations

- Biochemical signs, assessed by collecting a small sample of baby's blood from a scalp prick through the open cervix in labor

- fetal metabolic acidosis

- elevated fetal blood lactate levels (from fetal scalp blood testing) indicating the baby has a lactic acidosis

Some of these signs are more reliable predictors of fetal compromise than others. For example, cardiotocography can give high false positive rates, even when interpreted by highly experienced medical personnel. Metabolic acidosis is a more reliable predictor, but is not always available.

Couvelaire uterus (also known as uteroplacental apoplexy) is a life-threatening condition in which loosening of the placenta (abruptio placentae) causes bleeding that penetrates into the uterine myometrium forcing its way into the peritoneal cavity.

There are many causes of "fetal distress" including:

- Breathing problems

- Abnormal position and presentation of the fetus

- Multiple births

- Shoulder dystocia

- Umbilical cord prolapse

- Nuchal cord

- Placental abruption

- Premature closure of the fetal ductus arteriosus

- Uterine rupture

- Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, a liver disorder during pregnancy

According to the World Health Organization, if a woman present any of the conditions below during pregnancy, childbirth or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy and survive, she is considered as a maternal near miss case.

Cardiovascular dysfunction

Respiratory dysfunction

Renal dysfunction

Coagulation dysfunction

Hepatic dysfunction

Neurologic dysfunction

Uterine dysfunction

Patients can have pain secondary to uterine contractions, uterine tetany or localized uterine tenderness. Signs can also be due to abruptio placentae including uterine hypertonus, fetal distress, fetal death, and rarely, hypovolaemic shock (shock secondary to severe blood loss). The uterus may adopt a bluish/purplish, mottled appearance due to extravasation of blood into uterine muscle.

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 and birth defects.

Symptoms of a rupture may be initially quite subtle. An old cesarean scar may undergo dehiscence; but with further labor the woman may experience abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding, though these signs are difficult to distinguish from normal labor. Often a deterioration of the fetal heart rate is a leading sign, but the cardinal sign of uterine rupture is loss of fetal station on manual vaginal exam. Intra-abdominal bleeding can lead to hypovolemic shock and death. Although the associated maternal mortality is now less than one percent, the fetal mortality rate is between two and six percent when rupture occurs in the hospital.

In pregnancy uterine rupture may cause a viable abdominal pregnancy. This is what accounts for most abdominal pregnancy births.

- Abdominal pain and tenderness. The pain may not be severe; it may occur suddenly at the peak of a contraction. The woman may describe a feeling that something "gave way" or "ripped."

- Chest pain, pain between the scapulae, or pain on inspiration—Pain occurs because of the irritation of blood below the woman's diaphragm

- Hypovolemic shock caused by haemorrhage— Falling blood pressure, tachycardia, tachypnea, pallor, cool and clammy skin, and anxiety. The fall in blood pressure is often a late sign of haemorrhage

- Signs associated with fetal oxygenation, such as late deceleration, reduced variability, tachycardia, and bradycardia

- Absent fetal heart sounds with a large disruption of the placenta; absent fetal heart activity by ultrasound examination

- Cessation of uterine contractions

- Palpation of the fetus outside the uterus (usually occurs only with a large, complete rupture). The fetus is likely to be dead at this point.

- Signs of an abdominal pregnancy

- Post-term pregnancy

Antenatal depression, also known as Prenatal depression, is a form of clinical depression that can affect a woman during pregnancy, and can be a precursor to postpartum depression if not properly treated. It is estimated that 7% to 20% percent of pregnant women are affected by this condition. Any form of prenatal stress felt by the mother can have negative effects on various aspects of fetal development, which can cause harm to the mother and child. Antenatal depression is often caused by the stress and worry that pregnancy can bring, only at a more severe level. Other risk factors include unplanned pregnancy, difficulty becoming pregnant, history of abuse, and economic or family situations.

Commonly, symptoms involve how the patient views herself, how she feels about going through such a life changing event, the restrictions on the mother's lifestyle that motherhood will place, or how the partner or family feel about the baby. Pregnancy places significant strain on a woman's body, so some stress, mood swings, sadness, irritability, pain, and memory changes are to be expected. Antenatal depression can be extremely dangerous for the health of the mother, and the baby, if not properly treated.

Antenatal depression is classified based on a woman's symptoms. During pregnancy, a lot of changes to mood, memory, eating habits, and sleep is common. When these common traits become severe, and begin to alter one's day-to-day life, that is when it is considered to be antenatal depression. Symptoms of Antenatal depression are:

- Inability to concentrate.

- Difficulty remembering.

- Feeling emotionally numb.

- Extreme irritability.

- Sleeping too much or not enough, or restless sleep.

- Extreme or unending fatigue.

- Desire to over eat, or not eat at all.

- Weight loss/gain unrelated to pregnancy.

- Loss of interest in sex.

- A sense of dread about everything, including the pregnancy.

- Feelings of failure, or guilt.

- Persistent sadness.

- Thoughts of suicide, or death.

Other symptoms can include the inability to get excited about the pregnancy, and/or baby, a feeling of disconnection with the baby, and an inability to form/feel a bond with the developing baby. This can drastically affect the relationship between the mother and the baby, and can drastically affect the mother's capacity for self care. Such inadequacies can lead to even greater risk factors for the mother. Antenatal depression can be triggered by various causes, including relationship problems, family or personal history of depression, infertility, previous pregnancy loss, complications in pregnancy, and a history of abuse or trauma.

Uterine rupture is a serious event during childbirth by which the integrity of the myometrial wall is breached. In an incomplete rupture the peritoneum is still intact. With a complete rupture the contents of the uterus may spill into the peritoneal cavity or the broad ligament. A uterine rupture is a life-threatening event for mother and baby.

A uterine rupture typically occurs during active labor, but may also develop during late pregnancy.

Uterine dehiscence is a similar condition, but involves fewer layers, less bleeding, and less risk.

The World Health Organization defines a maternal near-miss case as "a woman who nearly died but survived a complication that occurred during pregnancy, childbirth or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy."

Obstructed labour, also known as labour dystocia, is when, even though the uterus is contracting normally, the baby does not exit the pelvis during childbirth due to being physically blocked. Complications for the baby include not getting enough oxygen which may result in death. It increases the risk of the mother getting an infection, having uterine rupture, or having post-partum bleeding. Long term complications for the mother include obstetrical fistula. Obstructed labour is said to result in prolonged labour, when the active phase of labour is longer than twelve hours.

The main causes of obstructed labour include: a large or abnormally positioned baby, a small pelvis, and problems with the birth canal. Abnormal positioning includes shoulder dystocia where the anterior shoulder does not pass easily below the pubic bone. Risk factors for a small pelvis include malnutrition and a lack of exposure to sunlight causing vitamin D deficiency. It is also more common in adolescence as the pelvis may not have finished growing. Problems with the birth canal include a narrow vagina and perineum which may be due to female genital mutilation or tumors. A partograph is often used to track labour progression and diagnose problems. This combined with physical examination may identify obstructed labour.

The treatment of obstructed labour may require cesarean section or vacuum extraction with possible surgical opening of the symphysis pubis. Other measures include: keeping the women hydrated and antibiotics if the membranes have been ruptured for more than 18 hours. In Africa and Asia obstructed labor affects between two and five percent of deliveries. In 2015 about 6.5 million cases of obstructed labour or uterine rupture occurred. This resulted in 23,000 maternal deaths down from 29,000 deaths in 1990 (about 8% of all deaths related to pregnancy). It is also one of the leading causes of stillbirth. Most deaths due to this condition occur in the developing world.

Childbirth-related posttraumatic stress disorder is a psychological disorder that can develop in women who have recently given birth. Its symptoms are not distinct from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

A puerperal disorder is a disorder which presents primarily during the puerperium.

An example is postpartum thyroiditis.

Puerperal disorders may be associated with psychiatric illness in offspring.

Signs and symptoms usually include a fever greater than , chills, low abdominal pain, and possibly bad smelling vaginal discharge.

The main causes of obstructed labour include: a large or abnormally positioned baby, a small pelvis, and problems with the birth canal. Abnormal positioning includes shoulder dystocia where the anterior shoulder does not pass easily below the pubic bone. Risk factors for a small pelvis include malnutrition and a lack of exposure to sunlight causing vitamin D deficiency. while problems with the birth canal include a narrow vagina and perineum which may be due to female genital mutilation or tumors.