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.

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.

There are various causes for recurrent miscarriage, and some can be treated. Some couples never have a cause identified, often after extensive investigations. About 50-75% of cases of Recurrent Miscarriage are unexplained.

Fifteen percent of women who have experienced three or more recurring miscarriages have some anatomical reason for the inability to complete the pregnancy. The structure of the uterus has an effect on the ability to carry a child to term. Anatomical differences are common and can be congenital.

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

Pregnancy, also known as gestation, is the time during which one or more offspring develops inside a woman. A multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins. Pregnancy can occur by sexual intercourse or assisted reproductive technology. Childbirth typically occurs around 40 weeks from the last menstrual period (LMP). This is just over nine months, where each month averages 29½ days. When measured from conception it is about 38 weeks. An embryo is the developing offspring during the first eight weeks following conception, after which, the term "fetus" is used until birth. Symptoms of early pregnancy may include missed periods, tender breasts, nausea and vomiting, hunger, and frequent urination. Pregnancy may be confirmed with a pregnancy test.

Pregnancy is typically divided into three trimesters. The first trimester is from week one through 12 and includes conception. Conception is when the sperm fertilizes the egg. The fertilized egg then travels down the fallopian tube and attaches to the inside of the uterus, where it begins to form the embryo and placenta. The first trimester carries the highest risk of miscarriage (natural death of embryo or fetus). The second trimester is from week 13 through 28. Around the middle of the second trimester, movement of the fetus may be felt. At 28 weeks, more than 90% of babies can survive outside of the uterus if provided with high-quality medical care. The third trimester is from 29 weeks through 40 weeks.

Prenatal care improves pregnancy outcomes. Prenatal care may include taking extra folic acid, avoiding drugs and alcohol, regular exercise, blood tests, and regular physical examinations. Complications of pregnancy may include disorders of high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, iron-deficiency anemia, and severe nausea and vomiting among others. Term pregnancy is 37 to 41 weeks, with early term being 37 and 38 weeks, full term 39 and 40 weeks, and late term 41 weeks. After 41 weeks, it is known as post term. Babies born before 37 weeks are preterm and are at higher risk of health problems such as cerebral palsy. Delivery before 39 weeks by labor induction or caesarean section is not recommended unless required for other medical reasons.

About 213 million pregnancies occurred in 2012, of which, 190 million were in the developing world and 23 million were in the developed world. The number of pregnancies in women ages 15 to 44 is 133 per 1,000 women. About 10% to 15% of recognized pregnancies end in miscarriage. In 2013, complications of pregnancy resulted in 293,000 deaths, down from 377,000 deaths in 1990. Common causes include maternal bleeding, complications of abortion, high blood pressure of pregnancy, maternal sepsis, and obstructed labor. Globally, 40% of pregnancies are unplanned. Half of unplanned pregnancies are aborted. Among unintended pregnancies in the United States, 60% of the women used birth control to some extent during the month pregnancy occurred.

A heterotopic pregnancy is a rare complication of pregnancy in which both extra-uterine (ectopic pregnancy) and intrauterine pregnancy occur simultaneously. It may also be referred to as a combined ectopic pregnancy, multiple‑sited pregnancy, or coincident pregnancy.

A possible pregnancy must be considered in any woman who has abdominal pain or abnormal vaginal bleeding. A heterotopic pregnancy may have similar signs and symptoms as a normal intrauterine pregnancy, a normal intrauterine pregnancy and a ruptured ovarian cyst, a corpus luteum, or appendicitis. Blood tests and ultrasound can be used to differentiate these conditions.

Placenta accreta occurs when all or part of the placenta attaches abnormally to the myometrium (the muscular layer of the uterine wall). Three grades of abnormal placental attachment are defined according to the depth of attachment and invasion into the muscular layers of the uterus:

- Accreta – chorionic villi attach to the myometrium, rather than being restricted within the decidua basalis.

- Increta – chorionic villi invade into the myometrium.

- Percreta – chorionic villi invade through the perimetrium (uterine serosa).

Because of abnormal attachment to the myometrium, placenta accreta is associated with an increased risk of heavy bleeding at the time of attempted vaginal delivery. The need for transfusion of blood products is frequent, and hysterectomy is sometimes required to control life-threatening hemorrhage.

When the antepartum diagnosis of placenta accreta is made, it is usually based on ultrasound findings in the second or third trimester. Sonographic findings that may be suggestive of placenta accreta include:

1. Loss of normal hypoechoic retroplacental zone

2. Multiple vascular lacunae (irregular vascular spaces) within placenta, giving "Swiss cheese" appearance

3. Blood vessels or placental tissue bridging uterine-placental margin, myometrial-bladder interface, or crossing the uterine serosa

4. Retroplacental myometrial thickness of <1 mm

5. Numerous coherent vessels visualized with 3-dimensional power Doppler in basal view

Although there are isolated case reports of placenta accreta being diagnosed in the first trimester or at the time of abortion <20 weeks' gestational age, the predictive value of first-trimester ultrasound for this diagnosis remains unknown. Women with a placenta previa or "low-lying placenta" overlying a uterine scar early in pregnancy should undergo follow-up imaging in the third trimester with attention to the potential presence of placenta accreta.

Although many pregnant women with high blood pressure have healthy babies without serious problems, high blood pressure can be dangerous for both the mother and baby. Women with pre-existing, or chronic, high blood pressure are more likely to have certain complications during pregnancy than those with normal blood pressure. However, some women develop high blood pressure while they are pregnant (often called gestational hypertension).

Chronic poorly-controlled high blood pressure before and during pregnancy puts a pregnant woman and her baby at risk for problems. It is associated with an increased risk for maternal complications such as preeclampsia, placental abruption (when the placenta separates from the wall of the uterus), and gestational diabetes. These women also face a higher risk for poor birth outcomes such as preterm delivery, having an infant small for his/her gestational age, and infant death.

Drug use during pregnancy can have temporary or permanent effects on the fetus. Any drug that acts during embryonic or fetal development to produce a permanent alteration of form or function is known as a teratogen. Drugs may refer to both pharmaceutical drug and recreational drugs.

Hypertensive disease of pregnancy, also known as maternal hypertensive disorder, is a group of diseases that includes preeclampsia, eclampsia, gestational hypertension, and chronic hypertension.

Maternal hypertensive disorders occurred in about 20.7 million women in 2013. About 10% of pregnancies globally are complicated by hypertensive diseases. In the United States hypertensive disease of pregnancy affect about 8% to 13% of pregnancies. Rates have increased in the developing world. They resulted in 29,000 deaths in 2013 down from 37,000 deaths in 1990. They are one of the three major causes of death in pregnancy (16%) along with post partum bleeding (13%) and puerperal infections (2%).

Sometimes there is no obvious explanation for the cause of PGP but usually there is a combination of factors such as:

1. The pelvic joints moving unevenly.

2. A change in the activity of the muscles in the pelvis, hip, abdomen, back and pelvic floor.

3. A history of pelvic trauma.

4. The position of the baby altering the loading stresses on the pelvic ligaments and joints.

5. Strenuous work.

6. Previous lower back pain.

7. Previous pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy.

8. Hypermobility, genetical ability to stretch joints beyond normal range.

9. An event during the pregnancy or birth that caused injury or strain to the pelvic joints or rupture of the fibrocartilage.

10. The occurrence of PGP is associated with twin pregnancy, first pregnancy and a higher age at first pregnancy.

Ovarian pregnancy refers to an ectopic pregnancy that is located in the ovary. Typically the egg cell is not released or picked up at ovulation, but fertilized within the ovary where the pregnancy implants. Such a pregnancy usually does not proceed past the first four weeks of pregnancy. An untreated ovarian pregnancy causes potentially fatal intraabdominal bleeding and thus may become a medical emergency.

PGP in pregnancy seriously interferes with participation in society and activities of daily life; the average sick leave due to posterior pelvic pain during pregnancy is 7 to 12 weeks.

In some cases women with PGP may also experience emotional problems such as anxiety over the cause of pain, resentment, anger, lack of self-esteem, frustration and depression; she is three times more likely to suffer postpartum depressive symptoms. Other psychosocial risk factors associated with woman experiencing PGP include higher level of stress, low job satisfaction and poorer relationship with spouse.

Menstruation occurs typically monthly, lasts 3–7 days, and involves up to 80 ml blood. Bleeding in excess of this norm in a nonpregnant woman constitutes gynecologic hemorrhage. In addition, early pregnancy bleeding has sometimes been included as gynecologic hemorrhage, namely bleeding from a miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy, while it actually represents obstetrical bleeding. However, from a practical view, early pregnancy bleeding is usually handled like a gynecological hemorrhage.

Gynecologic hemorrhage represents excessive bleeding of the female reproductive system. Such bleeding could be visible or external, namely bleeding from the vagina, or it could be internal into the pelvic cavity or form a hematoma. Normal menstruation is not considered a gynecologic hemorrhage, as it is not excessive. Hemorrhage associated with a pregnant state or during delivery is an obstetrical hemorrhage.

The diagnosis is made in asymptomatic pregnant women by obstetric ultrasonography. On pelvic examination a unilateral adnexal mass may be found. Typical symptoms are abdominal pain and, to a lesser degree, vaginal bleeding during pregnancy. Patients may present with hypovolemia or be in circulatory shock because of internal bleeding.

Ideally, ultrasound will show the location of the gestational sac in the ovary, while the uterine cavity is "empty", and if there is internal bleeding, it can be identified. Because of the proximity of the tube, the sonographic distinction between a tubal and an ovarian pregnancy may be difficult. Serial hCG levels generally show not the normal progressive rise.

In a series of 12 patients the mean gestation age was 45 days.

Histologically, the diagnosis has been made by Spiegelberg criteria on the surgical specimen of the removed ovary and tube. However, the tube and ovary are not usually removed as sonography allows for earlier diagnosis and surgeons strive to preserve the ovary. Prior to the introduction of Spiegelberg's criteria in 1878, the existence of ovarian pregnancy was in doubt; his criteria helped to identify the ovarian pregnancy from other ectopics:

- The gestational sac is located in the region of the ovary.

- The gestational sac is attached to the uterus by the ovarian ligament.

- Ovarian tissue is histologically proven in the wall of the gestational sac.

- The oviduct on the affected side is intact (this criterion, however, holds not true for a longer ongoing ovarian pregnancy).

An ovarian pregnancy can be mistaken for a tubal pregnancy or a hemorrhagic ovarian cyst or corpus luteum prior to surgery. Sometimes, only the presence of trophoblastic tissue during the histologic examination of material of a bleeding ovarian cyst shows that an ovarian pregnancy was the cause of the bleeding.

Women with the condition may be asymptomatic and unaware of having a uniconuate uterus; normal pregnancy may occur. In a review of the literature Reichman et al. analyzed the data on pregnancy outcome of 290 women with a unicornuate uterus. 175 women had conceived for a total of 468 pregnancies. They found that about 50% of patients delivered a live baby. The rates for ectopic pregnancy was 2.7%, for miscarriage 34%, and for preterm delivery 20%, while the intrauterine demise rate was 10%. Thus patients with a unicornuate uterus are at a higher risk for pregnancy loss and obstetrical complications.

The pregnancy category of a medication is an assessment of the risk of fetal injury due to the pharmaceutical, if it is used as directed by the mother during pregnancy. It does "not" include any risks conferred by pharmaceutical agents or their metabolites in breast milk.

Every drug has specific information listed in its product literature. The British National Formulary used to provide a table of drugs to be avoided or used with caution in pregnancy, and did so using a limited number of key phrases, but now Appendix 4 (which was the Pregnancy table) has been removed. Appendix 4 is now titled "Intravenous Additives". However, information that was previously available in the former Appendix 4 (pregnancy) and Appendix 5 (breast feeding) is now available in the individual drug monographs.

A unicornuate uterus represents a uterine malformation where the uterus is formed from one only of the paired Müllerian ducts while the other Müllerian duct does not develop or only in a rudimentary fashion. The sometimes called "hemi-uterus" has a single horn linked to the ipsilateral fallopian tube that faces its ovary.

About 66% of women have both nausea and vomiting while 33% have just nausea.

The apprehension is not necessarily data driven and is a cautionary response to the lack of clinical studies in pregnant women. The indication is a trade-off between the adverse effects of the drug, the risks associated with intercurrent diseases and pregnancy complications, and the efficiency of the drug to prevent or ameliorate such risks. In some cases, the use of drugs in pregnancy carries benefits that outweigh the risks. For example, high fever is harmful for the fetus in the early months, thus the use of paracetamol (acetaminophen) is generally associated with lower risk than the fever itself. Similarly, diabetes mellitus during pregnancy may need intensive therapy with insulin to prevent complications to mother and baby. Pain management for the mother is another important area where an evaluation of the benefits and risks is needed. NSAIDs such as Ibuprofen and Naproxen are probably safe for use for a short period of time, 48–72 hours, once the mother has reached the second trimester. If taking aspirin for pain management the mother should never take a dose higher than 100 mg.

The arcuate uterus is a form of a uterine anomaly or variation where the uterine cavity displays a concave contour towards the fundus. Normally the uterine cavity is straight or convex towards the fundus on anterior-posterior imaging, but in the arcuate uterus the myometrium of the fundus dips into the cavity and may form a small septation. The distinction between an arcuate uterus and a septate uterus is not standardized.