Two Hearts
Resources
The factsheets below will provide you with information on these two pregnancy complications.
Glossary
Please find below our glossary of some relevant terms that you may find useful.
Definition:
The main sugar that is found in the blood and used as energy.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Keeping blood glucose stable during pregnancy is important.
Definition:
The strength of blood pushing against the walls of the blood vessels.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Having too much pressure in the blood vessels can make the baby come too early or affect how it grows.
Definition:
A mineral that helps your bones and teeth stay strong.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Eating foods with calcium (like milk and cheese) helps pregnant women have strong bones and teeth and helps the baby grow strong too.
Definition:
A type of nutrient found in foods like bread, rice, pasta, and fruits. It provides energy to the body.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy. Pregnant women need a balance of carbohydrates to fuel their body and support the baby’s growth, but eating too much refined (or processed) carbohydrates can lead to weight gain and complications.
Definition:
A sickness that affects the heart and blood vessels.
Impact on Pregnancy:
If a woman already has heart problems, it can make her pregnancy more complicated and affect the baby’s health.
Definition:
A type of nutrient found in foods like butter, oils, and meat. It provides energy and helps absorb certain vitamins.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Healthy fats are important for the baby’s brain and overall development. However, too much unhealthy fat can lead to excessive weight gain and increase the risk of complications such as gestational diabetes.
Definition:
A person who helps you figure out what kinds of food you should eat to be healthy.
Impact on Pregnancy:
If a woman already has heart problems, it can make her pregnancy more complicated and affect the baby’s health.
Definition:
What happens after you consume food or beverages and how your body breaks down food and gets nutrients from it.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Sometimes when you’re pregnant, your stomach and intestines work differently, so you might have tummy troubles or have to eat different foods.
Definition:
Planned, structured physical activity with the purpose of improving fitness or health. It includes activities like jogging, yoga, or strength training.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Regular exercise during pregnancy can improve mood, energy levels, and overall health. It may also help with labour and delivery and reduce the risk of complications such as gestational diabetes and excessive weight gain.
Definition:
Feeling very tired or worn out.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Being pregnant can make you feel tired a lot, so you might need to rest more and take breaks from doing too much.
Definition:
A vitamin that helps your body grow and stay healthy.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Eating foods with folate (like green vegetables) is important for a pregnant woman so the baby can grow well and be healthy.
Definition:
A man-made form of folate, a vitamin that helps prevent birth defects in the baby’s brain and spine.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Taking folic acid before and during pregnancy helps keep the baby’s brain and spine healthy and prevents problems when they’re born.
Definition:
Diabetes is when there is too much sugar (glucose) in the bloodstream. Glucose is an important source of energy and come from carbohydrates such as rice, bread, milk and yoghurt. The pancreas makes insulin which allows glucose to leave your bloodstream and enter your body’s cells.
During pregnancy the hormones produced by your placenta can reduce the action of insulin. The pancreas needs to make more insulin to keep blood glucose levels normal. If this does not happen blood glucose remains high leading to GDM.
Impact on Pregnancy:
It can make the baby grow too big, come too early, or lead to the mother needing a special birth.
Definition:
Problems with your heart that can make it hard for your body to work properly.
Impact on Pregnancy:
If you have heart problems when you’re pregnant, it can cause problems for you and your baby, so you need to be careful and get extra help from doctors.
Definition:
When the force of blood against the walls of your blood vessels is too high.
Impact on Pregnancy:
High blood pressure during pregnancy can lead to complications such as preeclampsia, preterm birth, and low birth weight. It requires careful monitoring and management to prevent harm to both the mother and the baby.
Definition:
When the force of blood pushing against the walls of your blood vessels is too high.
Impact on Pregnancy:
High blood pressure during pregnancy can lead to early birth or affect how the baby grows.
Definition:
Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy is when high blood pressure (hypertension) occurs during pregnancy. It can affect anyone, anytime. But if your blood pressure stays high during pregnancy, it can start to affect your health and the baby’s development.
Impact on Pregnancy:
High blood pressure during pregnancy can lead to early birth or affect how the baby grows.
Definition:
Your body’s defence system that helps fight off sickness and infection.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Sometimes when you’re pregnant, your immune system is weaker, so you have to be extra careful to stay healthy and not get sick.
Definition:
Your body’s defence system that helps fight off sickness and infection.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Sometimes when you’re pregnant, your immune system is weaker, so you have to be extra careful to stay healthy and not get sick.
Definition:
A mineral that helps your body make hormones, which control how your body uses energy.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Eating foods with iodine (like seafood and dairy) is important during pregnancy to help the baby’s brain and body grow well.
Definition:
A mineral that helps your body make red blood cells, which carry oxygen around your body.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Eating foods with iron (like meat and beans) helps pregnant women have enough blood to keep themselves and their baby healthy.
Definition:
A rare infection caused by bacteria found in some foods that can harm a pregnant woman and her baby.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Eating foods that might have listeria can make a pregnant woman and her baby very sick, so it’s important to be careful about what you eat.
Definition:
A metal that can be harmful to your body, especially if you eat too much of it from certain kinds of fish.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Eating too much fish with mercury in it can make a pregnant woman and her baby very sick, so it’s important to choose safe kinds of fish to eat.
Definition:
Monounsaturated fatty acids, found in foods like olive oil, avocado, and nuts. They are good for heart health and may help manage blood sugar levels.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Including MUFAs in the diet during pregnancy can support heart health and provide essential nutrients for the baby’s growth and development. They contribute to a balanced diet that promotes overall well-being for both the mother and the baby.
Definition:
The good things in food that help you grow and stay healthy.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Eating foods with lots of nutrients is important when you’re pregnant so the baby can grow well and be healthy.
Definition:
A person who knows a lot about food and how it affects your body.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Nutritionists can give advice about eating healthy food during pregnancy, but they might not have as much training as dietitians.
Definition:
A type of fat that is good for your brain and heart.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Eating foods with omega-3 (like fish and nuts) is good for the baby’s brain and heart development during pregnancy.
Definition:
A group of muscles that support the bladder, bowel, and uterus.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Pelvic floor exercises, such as Kegels, can help prevent urinary incontinence and improve pelvic muscle strength during and after pregnancy. Strong pelvic floor muscles may also aid in labour and reduce the risk of pelvic floor disorders.
Definition:
Any movement that makes your body use energy. It includes things like walking, swimming or cleaning.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Staying physically active during pregnancy can help reduce the risk of complications such as gestational diabetes, excessive weight gain, and preterm birth. It also promotes overall health and well-being for both the mother and the baby.
Definition:
An organ in the mother’s womb that gives food and oxygen to the baby and takes away waste products.
Impact on Pregnancy:
If there are problems with the placenta, it can make the baby grow too slowly or cause bleeding for the mother.
Definition:
The time right after a baby is born.
Impact on Pregnancy:
If there are problems with the placenta, it can make the baby grow too slowly or cause bleeding for the mother.
Definition:
When a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Babies born preterm may face health challenges, including breathing problems, low birth weight, and developmental delays. They may require specialized medical care to thrive and reach their full potential.
Definition:
The act of giving birth to a baby before 37 weeks of pregnancy.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Preterm birth can increase the risk of health complications for the baby, including respiratory distress syndrome and long-term developmental issues. It may also require medical interventions to ensure the health and well-being of both the mother and the baby.
Definition:
A nutrient found in foods like meat, fish, beans, and nuts. It helps build and repair tissues in the body.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Protein is essential for the growth of the baby’s organs and muscles. Pregnant women need more protein to support the baby’s development.
Definition:
Polyunsaturated fatty acids, found in foods like fish, nuts, and seeds. They are essential for brain development and heart health.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Consuming PUFAs during pregnancy supports the baby’s brain development and may reduce the risk of certain pregnancy complications. They are beneficial for both the mother’s and the baby’s overall health and well-being.
Definition:
A type of bacteria that can cause food poisoning.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Getting sick from salmonella during pregnancy can make a pregnant woman and her baby very sick, so it’s important to be careful about food safety.
Definition:
Not moving around much or doing physical activity.
Impact on Pregnancy:
If a pregnant woman doesn’t move around enough, it can cause problems with her health and her baby’s health.
Definition:
Pills or drinks that give you extra vitamins and minerals that you might not get enough of from food alone.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Sometimes pregnant women need to take supplements to make sure they get enough vitamins and minerals for themselves and their baby.
Definition:
A vitamin that helps your body use calcium, which is important for healthy bones and teeth.
Impact on Pregnancy:
Getting enough vitamin D from sunlight and food (like eggs and fish) helps pregnant women have strong bones and teeth and helps the baby grow.
