What a Nurse in Her Right Mind Would Tell You: The Physiologic Effects of Unplanned Pregnancy to Mother and Child

Reality check: Despite the claims and beliefs that pregnancy is a beautiful and wonder thing, it is also a traumatic experience, not just for the woman, but for the child as well. Unwanted or unplanned pregnancy increases the risk of complications, for a variety of reasons: the woman’s body, as vessel for the product of fornication, might be ill-prepared to carry the child; a woman’s heart may literally not be able to handle the stress of labor; or multiparity – in laymen’s terms, many pregnancies- might have had an effect on uterine integrity.

Some of these unprepared mothers are in the adolescent stage, are over 40 years old, or has had many pregnancies. Most of whom may have false perceptions about their bodies, and use ineffective family planning methods, possibly because of lack of knowledge. They face a variety of possible complications which endanger not only her life, but that of her child’s. Some are outlined here.

1. Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension (PIH)
Pregnant adolescents, women over the age 40 are at risk for PIH, and those who has had multiple pregnancies are at risk for PIH. Blood volume normally increases during pregnancy, and in this condition, there is an impaired ability of the blood vessels to adapt. Constriction of the blood vessels occur, causing decrease blood circulation and thus, decreased oxygenation to the vital part of a woman’s body. Another possible rationale for elder women with PIH is the lost of elasticity of their blood vessels. This can severely compromise the woman’s vital organs, and, as a medical measure for severe hypertension or eclampsia, the fetus is delivered preterm.

2. Iron-Deficiency Anemia
Young mothers, such as those who are still adolescents, are more prone to IDA, possibly because of their limited protein intake. During pregnancy, a mother must provide iron to her child to ensure optimal growth and development. An increase of iron intake is therefore required.
IDA results to the decrease production of red blood cells – oxygen carriers of the blood. This leads to a drop in the oxygenation of vital organs, and the very possible risk of oxygen starvation during and after labor, when the mother normally sheds about 500mL (normal spontaneous delivery) to 1,000mL (cesarean section) of blood.

3. Cephalopelvic Disproportion
Basically, when the head of the child cannot pass through the birthing canal because it is too big, this is called cephalopelvic disproportion. This most commonly occurs in women with small stature, or those who have yet to fully develop their birthing canals, such as that of girls starting puberty. This leads to difficult labor or dystocia, which causes undue stress to child, and might be resolved via Cesarean Section (CS).

4. Prolonged Labor
For a 40-year old first- timer in pregnancy, the so-called primipara, labor may be prolonged and difficult because cervical dilation may not happen as spontaneously as it does for younger women. This may be secondary to the decreased elasticity of cells. If the labor proceeds for too long, this might compromise fetal well-being, and thus, cesarean birth might be needed.

5. Post-partal hemorrhage
This refers to the excessive bleeding which occurs after the delivery of the child. The cause is the inability of the uterus to contract, to keep the blood vessels contracted, and consequently the blood inside. Adolescent pregnancy, pregnancy above the age of 40, and multiparity are risk factors for this.

Young mothers are prone to post-partal hemorrhage because their uterus may be underdeveloped. The over distention of the organ makes it harder for the uterus to contract, leading to further bleeding.

The reduced elasticity of an older woman’s uterine walls also lessens contraction.

A woman who is multipara will have a uterus that has been distended again and again that the elasticity is also affected.

6. Gestational Diabetes
During pregnancy, the hormone Human Placental Lactogen (HPL) is produced. This is an insulin-antagonist, and this hormone predisposes a woman to gestational diabetes. Women who are older than 30, and multiparity are risk factors for this.
Gestational diabetes causes low or high blood sugar levels for the mother, a predisposition for infections like moniliasis, and possibly dystocia, because of the baby’s large size.

A child born from a diabetic mother may be large for his or her age (more than 4000 grams), and might have low or high blood sugar levels. In worse cases, he or she might have intrauterine growth retardation, because the damage wrecked by DM on the mother’s blood vessels would effectively decrease the fetus’s oxygenation as well.


Achieved by sufficient and appropriate knowledge on family planning methods, the risk factors may be reduced, hence lowering a woman’s predisposition to these possible complications. Knowledge is the key to safer pregnancy – to secure the life of a mother, and the life of her child.

An after thought:
Amidst the supposedly intelligent and rational debate about the controversial Reproductive Health Bill, names have been thrown. Not so good words like, “devil,” “cursed,” and more colorful lexical equivalents of fire and brimstone are being associated with Pro-RH groups. So as not to be a hypocrite, this writer would admit that the opposition to the bill has received pretty nasty names as well.
As a supporter, I adhere to the brand that generally sums up why I am for the bill: Pro-Women. Although having read the provisions of the bill for health and education, I believe that the brand is insufficient. The bill, apart from intensifying maternal and child services, as well as sexual health, also protects the health of the fetus. Through its provisions for non-discriminate family planning, it prevents complications that might afflict the mother as well as the unborn child.

A/N: Apart from being a frustrated writer and a Catholic school graduate, Janina Santos is also a Registered Nurse. This article is inspired by Milk Dispenser.

References: Maternal and Child Health Nursing: Care of the Childbearing and Childrearing Family by Adelle Pilliteri, Ph.D, R.N., P.N.P.; Simply MCN by Jerome E. Balisnomo, R.N., M.A.N.

VAGINA: Say it three times, slowly, and with relish

People will probably throw you weird looks, flinch horribly, and think you’re a maniac.

The Pinoy society is apparently sensitive to the topic of sex and sexuality, treating it as taboo. Ironically, sensuous pictures are used in ads, prostitution is rampant, and the ordinary Juan’s mouth would spill something green, and sometimes down-right malicious- during the everyday tambay mode. It’s not just the drunk men on the sidewalk toma parties, either. College students. Professionals. Mothers with little children.

My problem is this: For heaven’s sakes, we blab about sex almost all the time, use it as topics for jokes, as trinkets on ads (that sometimes do not even make sense). Kids hear it. They see it on TV. Adolescents talk about it in school. Boys as young as twelve gossip about who’s got the biggest boobs, and that weird tingling sensation they get down there when they ‘accidentally’ touch them.

Not a big thing, right? It’s part of today’s society, like internet porn, jejemons, PNoy’s love life, and Willie Revillame. If it were, protesters might be storming the Congress as we speak, demanding laws against people with dirty mouths.

Then why is shedding light to sex, in a clear, rational, scientific way a problem?

Many people point out that sex education is the responsibility of the parents. True. Parents are, as the old saying goes, the first teachers.

Just a thought: Because of the apparent “sensitivity” of Filipinos to the topic of sex, parents very rarely speak to their children. There are no “the birds and the bees” conversations, just “Don’t get pregnant", or "I’ll kick your ass out of the house” proclamations. Or worse: “Sex is bad.”

You can’t deny that it happens. Perhaps not to you, if you’re lucky, but to most Pinoys, they learn about sex through three possible was: the biology book, the secret conversation with their peers, and through experience, willing or not.

These methods of learning are not exactly ideal, and the typical Pinoy parent is either too busy to talk sex, or is too embarrassed to do so. Even if they did have the time, their knowledge would be better supplemented by medical professionals who study these things intensively. Take into consideration that sexuality is not just about morality, it is also a great factor that affects social, emotional, and physiological well-being. Who spent years prying the functions of the human body for years? Doctors. Nurses. Health workers. I’ve still got my books to prove it.

“So go to an OB.” Easy enough to do. But if you are young, this simple step proves to be a challenge. Being in the stage of adolescence and at a lost about sexuality, and being distrustful of most adults (who probably most of which probably exude an air of distrust and suspiciousness), most teenagers opt to keep their questions to themselves. This is when the apparent “shame” gets in the way of information.

So first thing’s first: Remove the tags “devil”, “life will be ruined”, “evil” and “obscene” to the discussion of sexuality. Speak sensibly about it, especially to children, to teens, so that they will be able to talk about it, their concerns, about the things that confuse them. Doing this will result to better communication between child and parents.

Second step: Allow professional support. People from the medical profession genuinely want to help. In fact, it is our responsibility to do so. No one can deny that expert advice is an advantage in any situation. Allow well-trained teachers to supplement everyone with the know-how on how to be sexually healthy, not only physically, but in all aspects as well.

Open up, let the knowledge flow. Information leads and well-formed decisions, perhaps not all the time, but most of the time. And in this day and age, information (true or false) is widely available. Would you rather have hearsays or concrete facts and data?

Open up.

Begin by saying “vagina” slowly, three times, and with relish. I assure you, it’s liberating.

And to hell with what others think.