Different Types of Pregnancies

There are different types of pregnancies, which may have a negative influence on the gestation process. This is why it's important to have proper medical control.
Different Types of Pregnancies

Last update: 14 January, 2021

When a woman finds out she’s pregnant, many questions come to her mind, especially if it’s her first time. During this period, women need medical care and attention, so the baby can develop properly. However, sometimes, there may be different types of pregnancies that can be complicated. In this article, we’ll show you the most common ones.

Different types of pregnancies

Regular appointments with your health care provider during pregnancy will let you identify any possible complication that may exist. Therefore, you’ll be able to take the necessary measures on time. This is why it’s important to know the different types of pregnancies that exist, and how to detect them.

Molar pregnancies

Molar pregnancies directly relate to gestational trophoblastic disease, which belongs to a group of diseases that have in common the proliferation of gestational trophoblast.

This gestational trophoblast usually has the same function as the regular trophoblast, which is in charge of producing placental hormones, like chorionic gonadotropin, tissue and vascular invasion and long-distance migration along blood vessels.

Ectopic pregnancies, one of the different types of pregnancies that exist

In the case of ectopic pregnancies, the blastocyst locates outside its regular place. This isn’t easy to identify. Therefore, it’s extremely important to visit the doctor regularly, and to communicate all the possible symptoms that may appear. This will be essential to look after the mother’s life.

Among the most common symptoms you may find late periods, pregnancy symptoms, abdominal pain and dark red blood stains.

High-risk pregnancies

High-risk pregnancies occur when, compared to a regular pregnancy, there’s diagnosis of subhealth. The family doctor can identify this type of pregnancy through regular check-ups. Once the doctor diagnoses a high-risk pregnancy, you’ll be able to know all the possible risk factors before or during the pregnancy.

Among the most common perinatal problems, there’s perinatal asphyxia, congenital malformations, infections and prematurity. As for the mother, she may suffer from hypertensive pregnancy disorders, obstetric hemorrhage, pregestational diseases or infections.

Heterotopic pregnancy

This is the combination of extrauterine and intrauterine pregnancies. In fact, the risk factors are the same as in the case of ectopic pregnancies. They relate to assisted reproductive techniques, pelvic inflammatory disease, surgical interventions in the salpinx and history of ectopic pregnancies.

Multiple pregnancies, one of the most common types of pregnancies

Multiple pregnancies occur when there’s more than one fetus inside the uterus. This is a high-risk pregnancy, mainly because of the complications mothers and babies may experience. In addition, it requires constant prenatal control and a lot of care during labor. There’s a high chance of multiple pregnancies due to ovulation induction.

Different Types of Pregnancies

According to Maria Isabel Rasines and Juan Aller from Obstetricia Moderna, when there’s ovulation induction there are greater chances of multiple pregnancies.

What should prenatal care be like?

As we’ve mentioned before, it’s very important to know what prenatal care should be like. Thus, it’ll be possible to identify certain anomalies that may appear. According to the Hospital Materno Infantil Ramon Cerda (Ramon Cerda Mother and Child Hospital), the following measures should be taken into account:

  • Prenatal care should be during the first trimester of pregnancy. Once the pregnancy is diagnosed, there must be prevention and health measures, and detection of risk factors.
  • Regular medical check-ups. This will depend on the medical, psychological and social risk.
  • The family doctor should carry out prenatal consultations to check on the mother’s state, the pregnancy development, and to perform all the correspondent tests according to the different stages.
  • During check-ups, different demographic characteristics should be taken into account. The mother’s age is an important factor (in case she’s under 17 or over 40 years old). It’s also important to know if the mother makes physical effort regularly, if she weights less than 99 pounds, and if she’s a smaller size than 59 inches.

In conclusion, regular check-ups during the different stages of pregnancy will allow doctors to spot any possible anomaly, and they’ll be able to identify the type of pregnancy.


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


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  • Altunaga Palacio, M., Rodríguez Morales, Y., & Lugones Botell, M. (2011). Manejo del embarazo ectópico. Revista Cubana de Obstetricia y Ginecología37(4), 513-523.
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  • Resines, M., & Aller, J. (1999). Embarazo múltiple. Obstetricia moderna. Tercera edición. Caracas: Editorial Mc Graw-Hill. Interamericana, 263-277.
  • Casini, S., Lucero Sáinz, G. A., Hertz, M., & Andina, E. (2002). Guía de control prenatal. Embarazo normal. Revista del Hospital Materno Infantil Ramón Sardá21(2).

This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.