While many women go through pregnancy without any complications, other women experience the same complications every pregnancy or develop new conditions despite not having any underlying conditions. Learn more about the following four common pregnancy complications as well as tips for avoiding them. 

Premature labor is defined as labor that begins before your thirty-seventh week of pregnancy. While approximately 12 percent of babies born in the United State are preterm, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of this event. Get prenatal care as soon as you find out you are pregnant, and be sure to eat and drink healthy options throughout pregnancy while avoiding alcohol. If you previously had a preterm baby, your risks are higher, and you may want to choose an OB/GYN specializing in high-risk pregnancies.

The closer you are to your due date, the more likely you are to develop preeclampsia. This condition involves high blood pressure along with excessive protein in your urine. When left untreated, preeclampsia can affect your organs and may even mean that you need to deliver your baby early. Be sure to get plenty of rest, drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water each day and limit your salt intake.

This type of diabetes only occurs during pregnancy and occurs in women who did not have diabetes prior to pregnancy. If this happens to you, you must see a doctor to control your diabetes because this could greatly affect the health of your baby. You can reduce your risk of developing this by watching what you eat. Stick with whole grain foods as well as plenty of vegetables and other high-fiber foods. Avoid eating foods that are high in sugar.

Some complications are actually due to the negligence of the doctor rather than your own health history. While this is terrible to think about, you must watch out for errors that your practitioner may make. Read up on normal lab values during pregnancy, make sure you are getting the recommended tests and talk to your doctor if you have a concern. Remember that you can always switch doctors during your pregnancy. While this may not be ideal, it can mean the difference between life and death for you and your baby.

 If you do experience a doctor-related complication, search for an attorney who will be able to speak up for you in court. While there are many parts of pregnancy that you simply cannot control, you can do much to improve your health as well as the health of your baby. By taking an active role in your health care, taking care of your body, eating healthy and asking plenty of questions, you can prevent numerous complications and make other complications less concerning. In addition, no matter how much you trust your doctor, be sure to question anything that does not make sense to you.