Pregnancy Complications Among Women Born Pre-term

Women who were born pre-term are more likely to have pregnancy-related complications during their own pregnancies, according to Canadian researchers.

The authors compared pregnancy complications in over 7,000 women who were born pre-term, to nearly 17,000 women born at full term.  Women who were born before 36 weeks of gestation were 14% more likely to suffer gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, or preeclampsia during their own pregnancies than women who were born full-term.   Women born before 32 weeks almost twice as likely to suffer these complications.

Fortunately, none of these pregnancy-related complications is terribly common.  In addition, all are tested for during normal prenatal care, and all can generally be managed when detected.  Women who were born pre-term should not be overly concerned, though they may wish to alert their pre-natal caregiver to ensure that follow-up is adequate.