Complications of Multiparity

Multiparity is a term used for a state where a woman has many pregnancies and has delivered many children. In many societies it is traditionally said that after giving birth to a child, a woman is reborn. It is like a second birth for her. This is true in many ways. When a woman becomes pregnant, the body undergoes a series of radical vascular and hormonal changes. The gravid uterus itself exerts pressure on the surrounding parts and also on legs and lymphatics of legs. All these changes lead to many healths related problems. Vomiting is the most common pregnancy related problem with which people are familiar. Apart from this, with advancing pregnancy women tend to have burning sensation in the chest and swelling over feet and legs. There is increased demand for calcium in the body during pregnancy and subsequent lactation, failing to meet which leads to softening of the bones. This becomes a cause for backache and joint pains later in life. Severe softening of bones leads to pathological fractures in old age. Similarly increased demand for iron is also put on the body during pregnancy. If this demand is not fulfilled, a woman can develop chronic anemia after child birth. Hypertension during pregnancy occurs due to multiple causes and is known to be fatal if not treated in time. Some women tend to develop diabetes during pregnancy which improves only after the baby is delivered, a condition known as gestational diabetes. Thus it is obvious that so many problems occur with one pregnancy and childbirth. These problems can be multiplied by the number of pregnancies a woman has. Every delivery leads to some trauma to the perineum and birth canal. This is responsible for urinary incontinence later in life. This along with hormonal changes results in prolapse of the uterus. Prolapse uterus itself is the cause for urinary incontinence, chronic urinary tract and pelvic infections. Prolapsed uterus can also cause urinary and fecal incontinence or difficulty in passing urine and or stool. Due to obstruction to flow of urine and recurrent urinary tract infections, it also becomes a cause for renal failure. Multiple pregnancies result in the abdominal muscles becoming flaccid. If one has had a caesarean section or any other abdominal surgery anytime, she is at risk of developing hernia over the site of incision due to multiparity. Those developing hypertension and or diabetes during pregnancy can develop chronic hypertension and diabetes, which requires life long medication to keep it under control. These medicines invariably produce unpleasant adverse effects after some time. Apart from these physical health hazards of having many pregnancies and children, its familial and social hazards are no less. Managing a very big family becomes stressful and difficult for any woman even if she has enough resources. Those who lack resources to support a big family face financial problems in bringing up the children. Even meeting the basic needs of all family members becomes a challenge in such a set up. In any case, parents are not able to give due attention to many children together. Considering all these complications of multiparity, it is desirable that women opt for small families. It is not only the number of children but spacing in between the children that is important. After every child birth, there should be adequate space of 2 to 3 years before the lady becomes pregnant again. This gives time for her health to recuperate and give enough time to bring up the new baby with all attention needed. Various contraceptive methods are available which the women can use to keep their families small and have adequate space between each child. The government is doing a remarkable job in motivating people for family planning. Contraceptive methods are accessible to people at a stone’s throw and are free. Thus all can benefit from it. Women no longer have to suffer from the health hazards of multiparity. rachna212002@yahoo.co.uk