A recent study revealed that complications in the previous pregnancies affect the current or subsequent pregnancies. Researchers believe that this study could help doctors determine which pregnant women need extra care or monitoring, by analyzing their history of previous pregnancies.

The research team led by Dr Robbert van Oppenraaij, a medical doctor and PhD student in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Erasmus MC University Medical Centre (Rotterdam, The Netherlands), studied the findings of 75 investigations into early pregnancy complications, conducted between 1980 and 2008.

Data analysis led to several interesting findings. Researchers found that after any first trimester complication or event, the risk of pre-term delivery is increased in the subsequent or ongoing pregnancy. It was also found that increased risks of adverse obstetric outcome are, in all cases, related to the severity or recurrence, or both, of the first trimester complication or event.

The findings also indicated that history of miscarriage and abortions increases a woman's chances of giving birth too early.

The research team found that three or more recurrent miscarriages led to a six-fold increased risk of placenta praevia (a condition caused by the placenta blocking the cervix) and almost doubled the likelihood of congenital malformations in the baby.

Dr Robbert van Oppenraaij said: "While it is true that most conditions are difficult to prevent, with improved monitoring in high risk pregnancies it is possible to reduce perinatal (around the time of birth) or postnatal (after birth) foetal complications."