Problems & illnesses

Minor complaints during pregnancy are complete normal. Sometimes however, pregnant women can also have problems or illness that need to be treated.

This is good for you:

  • Frequently elevate your legs and avoid long periods of standing and sitting.
  • Move a lot but do not strain yourself.
  • Drink a lot, preferably water, fruit tea.
  • Wear compression stockings, these help against varicose veins.

Gestation diabetes (diabetes mellitus)

Gestation diabetes is a particular form of diabetes mellitus.

In this illness, there is too much sugar in the blood. Most women do not personally notice gestation diabetes. The mother-child health passport however, recommends a blood examination (oral glucose tolerance) in the 24th to 27th week of gestation, which will identify an illness.

If you do suffer from gestation diabetes, a detailed consultation in a centre (hospital) that specialises in diabetes is very important! After the birth, this form of diabetes mellitus will vanish on its own. Then you no longer need to take any medicines.

Gestation diabetes can be harmful to you and your child if it is not treated! Discuss all your questions with your doctor and read the following information:

Rudolfstiftung hospital: General outpatient diabetes clinic & specialised outpatient clinic for gestation diabetes
Outpatient times: Monday – Friday 8:00-13:00
Registration: Via telephone from 13:00 onwards
Telephone:    (+43 1) 711 65 – 2112 and 2110

AKH Vienna – Clinical Department for Endocrinology & Metabolic Disorders
Outpatient times gestation diabetes
Tuesday 8:00 – 12:00
Thursday 8:00 – 12:00
Telephone: (+ 43 1) 404 00-60950
Arranging appointments by phone, MO-FR: 13:00 – 14:00

KFJ [Kaiser Franz Josef] Hospital– 1st Medical department
Telephone: (+43 1) 601 91-2121
Outpatient times:
Monday: 7:30-11:00
Wednesday: 7:30-11:00
Thursday: 7:30-11:00
Friday: 7:30-11:00
Registration: Registration via gynaecology outpatient clinic necessary

Wilhelminenspital – Gestation diabetes outpatient clinic
Telephone: (+43 1) 491 50 – 2510
Fax: (+43 1) 491 50 – 2509
Outpatient times:
Monday: 11:00-13:00
Registration: only with advance registration

Hietzing Hospital – General diabetes outpatient clinic of the 3rd Med. Dept.
Outpatient clinic for pregnant women
Telephone: (+43 1) 801 10-2356
Registration: arranging appointments by phone, Monday to Friday 11:00-15:00
Location: Pavillon 5a

Infections

Pregnant women have a higher risk of infection in the area of the urinary tract and vagina. If you notice the following, please go to your doctor immediately:

  • Burning pain while urinating
  • Discolouration of the urine
  • Fever
  • Itchy discharge
  • Reddened, burning mucous membrane

Infections can be harmful to you and your baby, if you do not receive treatment. Therefore, discuss all your questions with your doctor and read the following information:

Thyroid diseases

The thyroid produces important hormones for the human body. During pregnancy it functions differently than normal. It can result in problems if

  • the thyroid produces too few hormones (hypofunction). At this point, treatment with hormone tablets becomes necessary. This is completely harmless to the baby. It is actually particularly important for the development of your baby that the your doctor often needs to increase the dosage of hormone tablets.
  • the thyroid produces too many hormones (hyperfunction). Women with hyperthyroidism should already start taking medicine against the hyperfunction prior to a planned pregnancy. In case of hyperthyroidism, medical care during pregnancy in a medical centre is necessary.
  • the thyroid is enlarged. The cause is usually an iodine deficiency; medicines can help. Sometimes knots, which are usually benign, also form in the thyroid.

Thyroid diseases can be harmful to you and your baby, if you do not receive treatment. Therefore, discuss all your questions with your doctor and read the following information:

Hietzing Hospital: Institute for Nuclear Medicine incl. outpatient treatment – Thyroid outpatient clinic for pregnant women and those with the desire to have children
Telephone: (+43 1) 801 10 – 2552
Outpatient times: Friday 9:00-12:00
Registration: Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 14:00

Toxoplasmosis during pregnancy

Toxoplasmosis is an infection with parasites that is usually completely harmless. Many people develop antibodies against toxoplasmosis. It is only harmful, if women get infected for the first time during pregnancy: It can result in miscarriages or malformations in the child. Therefore, the risk for toxoplasmosis is determined during a blood examination.

The infection is usually contracted through cat faeces or raw meat.

You should avoid the following during pregnancy:

  • Do not eat any raw meat such as beef tartare , raw ham etc.
  • Only eat well-cooked meat.
  • Pay attention to thorough hygiene in the kitchen. After preparing raw meat, wash your hands as well as the knife, chopping board, containers and work surfaces.
  • Do you have cats in your household? It would be best if someone else cleaned the cat’s litter tray. If this is not possible, use gloves and then thoroughly wash your hands.
  • The cat’s litter tray must be placed away from the living spaces and be kept slightly moist in order to avoid swirling up of pieces of faeces.
  • When working in the garden you must wear protective gloves in order to avoid contact with cat faeces.

Toxoplasmosis can be harmful to you and your baby, if you do not receive treatment. Therefore, discuss all your questions with your doctor and read the following information:

AKH Vienna – University Clinic for Gynaecology:
Toxoplasmosis-laboratory and after-care outpatient clinic (Referral from Clinical Department for Obstetrics and maternal-foetal medicine is necessary!)

Pre-eclampsia (Pregnancy related high blood pressure)

In approximately every 10th woman, pre-eclampsia occurs during pregnancy. In the process, the blood pressure is increased and the body excretes too much protein through urine. Diabetes, severe overweight, autoimmune diseases and high blood pressure even before pregnancy increase the risk of a pre-eclampsia.

The organs of the woman are not supplied well enough with blood and it can result in a bad supply of the placenta (afterbirth). This can result in growth defects in the baby.

Pre-eclampsia is particularly noticeable through a high “lower” blood pressure value and through the fluid retention in the body (oedemas). Oedemas in arms and legs are usually harmless, however, in the womb it can be a sign of pre-eclampsia. You should receive immediate medical treatment!

If you suffered from pre-eclampsia, you must visit your doctor on a regular basis. Now, good care is particularly important!

Pre-eclampsia can be harmful to you and your baby, if you do not receive treatment. Therefore, discuss all your questions with your doctor and read the following information:

Hyperemesis gravidarum (Intractable morning sickness)

Nausea during pregnancy, particularly in the beginning, is completely normal. However, if you need to vomit more than 5 times a day and can barely retain food and drinks, this is known as intractable vomiting (hyperemesis gravidarum). This condition can be well treated with medicines. In the worst case, infusions become necessary.

Intractable morning sickness can be harmful to you and your baby, if you do not receive treatment. Therefore, discuss all your questions with your doctor and read the following information:

Anaemia in pregnancy

The term anaemia refers to a deficiency of red blood cells. The cause for this is usually not enough iron and nutrients in the blood. This is common in pregnant women but these deficiencies can be easily balanced.

You can prevent it with a healthier diet:

  • Eat food with a particularly high iron content:
    Beef, whole-grain products, eggs, dried fruit.
  • Eat food with a vitamin C content:
    Fish, raw vegetables, potatoes, citrus fruit.
  • Eat food with a folic acid content:
    Beans, oats, mushrooms, broccoli, beef, asparagus.
  • Avoid alcohol and nicotine.
  • Take to your doctor about food supplements:
    Taking food supplements that contain iron, folic acid and vitamins can help quickly remedy a deficiency of these substances.

Anaemia in pregnancy can be harmful to you and your baby, if you do not receive treatment. Therefore, discuss all your questions with your doctor and read the following information:

Iron deficiency

The body needs iron to form red blood cells. A deficiency of these red blood cells is known as anaemia. This is common during pregnancy because the mother and child need a particularly high amount of iron.

Signs of an iron deficiency are

  • Head aches
  • Fatigue and lethargy
  • Sleep disorders
  • Hair loss

You can prevent or balance iron deficiency as follows:

  • Eat food with a particularly high iron content:
    Beef, whole-grain products, eggs, dried fruit.
  • Speak to you doctor about additional iron intake through food supplements.
  • Vitamin C facilitates the intake of iron from vegetables and cereals.

Therefore, eat food with lots of iron with vegetables and fruit that have a high vitamin C content. This includes broccoli, fennel and berries.

  • Avoid coffee and black tea. These drinks can reduce the intake of iron.

Iron deficiency can be harmful to you and your baby, if you do not receive treatment. Therefore, discuss all your questions with your doctor and read the following information:

Premature labour

If you have contractions before the 36th week of gestation, you must have a medical examination immediately. Reason being that the contractions can open the cervix and it can result in a miscarriage or premature delivery.

There are many different reasons for premature labour. Therefore, the doctor needs to decide what must be done in each case for every pregnancy. If it is somehow possible, the doctor will attempt to maintain the pregnancy as long as possible. But the doctor must also always assess the advantages, disadvantages and the risks for mother and child.

Premature labour can be dangerous for you and your baby! Therefore, discuss all your questions with your doctor and read the following information:

Measles during pregnancy

If women contract measles during pregnancy, it can result in a premature delivery or a miscarriage. Absolute protection before the pregnancy is only provided by the measles vaccination.

If you are not vaccinated, avoid contact with people with measles during pregnancy and the baby’s first year of life.

Signs of a measles infection are:

  • Cold
  • Eye infections
  • Bronchitis
  • Headaches and nausea
  • Fever
  • White spots on the oral mucous membrane

If you suffered measles during pregnancy, you must visit your doctor on a regular basis. Now good care is particularly important!

Measles can be harmful to you and your baby, if you do not receive treatment. Therefore, discuss all your questions with your doctor and read the following information:

Rubella during pregnancy

If pregnant women succumbed to rubella, the risk of malformations in the baby, particularly at the start of the pregnancy, is very high. The internal organs of the child, which can be impaired by rubella, develop in the first 12 weeks of gestation. In the following 4 weeks, it can often result in hearing damage due to an infection. Over the course of pregnancy, the risk of damage to the child due to rubella reduces.

If you succumbed to rubella during pregnancy, you must visit your doctor on a regular basis. Now good care is particularly important!

Rubella can be harmful to you and your baby, if you do not receive treatment. Therefore, discuss all your questions with your doctor and read the following information:

Risk: Blood groups

If the blood groups of the mother and child do not match, this is known as a rhesus incompatibility. This is particularly the case, if the rhesus factor in the mother is negative and the rhesus factor in the child is positive. Rarely there is also an incompatibility between the blood group zero of the mother and a baby with blood group A, B or AB.

Your doctor will determine an incompatibility with a blood examination at the start of the pregnancy. This is specified in the mother-child health passport.

An incompatibility of the rhesus factor or blood group can be treated confidently and safely: Two injections for the mother prevent problems for the child.

Incompatibility of the rhesus factor or blood group can be harmful for your baby, if you do not receive treatment. Therefore, discuss all your questions with your doctor and read the following information:

Coronavirus Information

Is the Coronavirus transmissible to children?
Newborns can be infected with coronavirus. For this reason, appropriate protective measures (hand hygiene, protective masks) are in place for women suffering from coronavirus. The possibility of intrauterine transmission from mother to child is not completely ruled out, but is very unlikely.

Do women have to wear a mask during birth?
No, women do not wear a mask during birth, regardless of whether they have tested positive or negative for Covid-19. Patients who are not giving birth (e.g. as part of outpatient check-ups) or who have already given birth are asked, as are all patients, to wear mouth and nose protection outside their room.

Can an accompanying person be present at birth?
Yes, one accompanying person may be present during delivery. Special precautions apply to persons accompanying Covid-19 -positive women. They must not be in quarantine and must agree to the increased risk of infection at birth. The staff will inform you about all risks and regulations.

What are the visiting regulations?
You can find current visit regulations on www.gesundheitsverbund.at and www.sjk-wien.at Quarantined women are not allowed to receive visitors during their stay in hospital.

Which hospital can I give birth in if I am suffering from coronavirus?
Women who test positive for COVID-19 give birth primarily in the Ottakring Clinic (formerly Wilhelminenspital) and the Favoriten Clinic (formerly KFJ). In an emergency, all hospitals are prepared to accompany a birth under Covid-19 conditions. If you are diagnosed as positive for coronavirus and are going into labour, cannot feel your baby properly, are bleeding or need to go to a clinic for other acute reasons, please call the emergency services and let them know that you have tested positive for coronavirus. Please also inform the clinic by telephone before a planned hospital visit if you have tested positive for Covid-19.

Can the newborn baby stay with the mother after birth?
If the relevant hygiene rules are followed, women suffering from coronavirus may have contact with their children and can be accommodated in a shared room after the birth. In a consultation, the clinic team provides information about the possibilities and risks of accommodating the child after birth. The mother decides whether the child should stay with her after birth.

Is a woman who has tested positive for Covid-19 allowed to breastfeed her baby?
Women with Covid-19 can breastfeed if they adhere to the hygiene measures. The clinic team clarifies all questions about breastfeeding in a consultation.