Medical Disorders during Pregnancy

Abstract

Each year, approximately 4 million births occur in the United States, and more than 130 million births occur worldwide. A significant proportion of births are complicated by medical disorders. Advances in medical care and fertility treatment have increased the number of women with serious medical problems who attempt to become pregnant. Medical problems that interfere with the physiologic adaptations of pregnancy increase the risk for poor pregnancy outcome; conversely, in some instances, pregnancy may adversely impact an underlying medical disorder.