Problems in Pregnancy

There are a variety of problems in pregnancy which increase the risk of a baby being admitted to the neonatal unit.

- Premature labour (before around 35 weeks).

- Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR). This means that a fetus is small for his / her gestational age and can be due to the placenta not functioning as well as it should.

- Pre-eclampsia (raised blood pressure). This can increase the chances of a premature delivery.

- Maternal diabetes. Babies of diabetic mothers (gestational or normal) may have difficulty maintaining their blood sugar level, or possibly have breathing difficulties.