Swelling, especially of the feet and ankles, is common during pregnancy. Rest with the legs up may be beneficial, as well as lying on the side. If there is swelling of the face or rapid weight gain, the woman should contact her physician. Backaches are common during pregnancy and due to physical changes caused by the pregnancy. Additionally, it is important to bend at the knees instead of the back to pick up an object and to try to retain good posture always.
Most pregnancies are uneventful.
However, some of the following conditions may occur and threaten the well being of the mother or the unborn baby. Usually there are warning signs and symptoms. This is labor that begins before 37 weeks and might result in the early delivery of a baby with long-term medical or developmental problems. Usually preterm labor is accompanied by contractions at regular intervals lasting for at least one hour. These contractions may or may not be painful.