Caring for Motherhood: Health

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We want to support women in being as healthy as possible. This information is provided to help you understand physical health issues that can happen during pregnancy. Being aware of these issues can help you recognize symptoms that you should tell your doctor. This knowledge may help you prevent issues (when possible). And if you have questions, please ask your health care provider! We are here to help. 

Sincerely,

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Potential Health Issues During Pregnancy

  • Cardiovascular disease

    Cardiovascular  disease, also known as CVD, can cause heart attacks and strokes. Risk factors include high blood pressure (hypertension), abnormal triglyceride and cholesterol levels, and diabetes.

    Lifestyle factors, such as smoking, lack of exercise, and being overweight or obese, may also cause CVD. Women can develop high blood pressure or diabetes during pregnancy. Gestational hypertension is high blood pressure during the second half of pregnancy. It requires monitoring and treatment.

  • Pre-eclampsia
    Pre-eclampsia is a serious, high-blood pressure problem, which can develop during the second half of pregnancy and/or the two weeks after birth. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have signs of pre-eclampsia including sudden weight gain, swelling of the face or hands, blurry vision, a headache that won’t go away, shortness of breath, pain in the upper abdomen or shoulder, nausea and vomiting.
  • Body Mass Index (BMI) 

    Body Mass Index (BMI) is important. It is calculated from weight and height. Being obese during pregnancy puts women at risk for gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure), sleep apnea and other conditions that can also cause problems for the baby.

    Obesity can also make it more likely for women to require a cesarean delivery (c-section). Losing weight before getting pregnant is the best way to reduce these risks. If you are obese and not yet pregnant, losing even a small amount of weight (like 10-20 pounds) can help. Your provider will use your weight status to help guide weight gain recommendations during pregnancy.

Tips During Pregnancy

  • Check blood pressure regularly — greater than 130/80 most of the time is high.
  • Eat healthy, stay at a healthy weight, exercise regularly, don’t smoke, and avoid alcohol and drug misuse to reduce risk of complications.
  • Rest, eat well, drink lots of water, and keep recommended appointments with your health care provider.
  • Stay active — for pregnant women at least 30 minutes a day five days a week is recommended.
  • Check with your OB to ensure exercise is safe for you.
  • During pregnancy, eat a heart-healthy diet.
  • Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, dairy products, eggs, fish and poultry.
  • Limited red meat, sugary foods and drinks, and sodium.
  • Limited processed foods and fast food.
  • Mostly unsaturated fats from plants like olives, beans, seeds and fish.
  • For the safety of your baby, avoid raw eggs; fish high in mercury; unpasteurized dairy; produce; all soft cheeses; cold or undercooked meats; smoked seafood; and sprouts.
  • Wash produce and heat food until steaming.

Potential Health Issues After Delivery

  • Healthy weight
    Eating healthy and exercising regularly can help new moms reach a healthy weight. Breastfeeding may help with weight loss and is recommended for at least the baby’s first year. The 5210 Program is part of a health campaign designed to help people of all ages make good choices for a healthy lifestyle.
  • Recovering from pregnancy 
    Recovering from pregnancy takes six to eight weeks or longer. Your hormones are fluctuating, and most women feel sad at times after birth (“baby blues”). If you feel sad for more than two weeks, and you’re having difficulty functioning, it may be postpartum depression and you should talk to your health care provider. For more information, see our list of symptoms of postpartum depression under the section name, Caring for Your Mind.
  • Postpartum hemorrhage 
    Postpartum hemorrhage can be serious and must be treated. Bleeding after delivery is rare. If you must change a pad more than once per hour due to bleeding or are passing clots larger in size than a quarter, you should contact your doctor immediately. 
  • Medical reasons to call your provider
    • Chills or fever (100.4 or higher) fainting, dizziness, severe headache.
    • Vision changes, painful urination, difficulty urinating.
    • Vaginal discharge with strong odor.
    • Heart palpitations, chest pain, difficulty breathing, vomiting.
    • C-section incision swelling, red or weepy.
    • Worsening/new abdominal pain.
    • Breast soreness with redness or warmth.
    • Leg pain with redness, swelling, or an increase in swelling.

Tips: Goals to Work Toward After Pregnancy

  • Be moderately active (walking briskly, biking) for 60 minutes, or vigorously active (running, swimming) for 30 minutes on most days of the week.
  • Divide exercise into 10-minute intervals throughout the day.
  • Breastfeeding may also help with weight loss and is recommended at least for the baby’s first year.

Resources

  • Breastfeeding

    If you have questions about breastfeeding, talk to your health care provider or a lactation consultant. 

    Or contact:

    • Tennessee Breastfeeding Hotline 1-855-423-6667
    • National Women's Health and Breastfeeding Helpline 1-800-994-9662
    • Ahh Babies
  • General
    • myplate.gov: website, app, tools, resources, recipes for healthy eating
    • For help with quitting smoking:
    • Assistance finding resources: call 211 or visit 211.org
    • Ballad Nurse Connect: call 1-833-822-5523
    • Nurse-Family Partnership: home visiting for first-time pregnant moms. Call 1-423-900-3160
    • CHANT (Community Health Access and Navigation in Tennessee): CHANT is a voluntary care coordination service through the local health departments to assist families with coordinating medical and social service needs. Through screening and assessments, CHANT determines the needs of families and begins the process of connecting them to resources.
    • Tennessee Early Intervention System: call 1-800-852-7157
    • Ballad Health Strong Starts: FREE community navigation, prenatal support groups, and family playtimes for anyone who is pregnant or has a child in the home under the age of 5 years. Call 423-431-4844 or email  strongstarts@balladhealth.org

    • Tennessee Department of Health Family Planning Telehealth: call 1-833-690-0223  
    • Tennessee Women, Infants, and Children Program : Call 1-800-DIAL-WIC (342-5942)
      • Install “WICShopper” from your app store