Understanding High-Risk Pregnancy
Learning you have a high-risk pregnancy is scary, since it means you and your unborn child have a higher risk for health issues while you’re expecting, during labor, and after delivery.
Understanding what this term means and the precautions you should take increase your odds of having a healthy pregnancy and baby. It’s also crucial to receive the right prenatal care if you have a high-risk pregnancy, as it may vary from standard prenatal care.
Board-certified OB/GYN Kelly Morales, MD, FACOG, and our team at Willow OB/GYN offer specialized high-risk obstetrics care for patients in the San Antonio, Texas, area. Each high-risk pregnancy is different, and Dr. Morales customizes your treatment based on your needs.
Take a moment to learn more about high-risk pregnancy and how we can help you and your baby stay healthy while you’re expecting.
What makes a pregnancy high risk?
You’re diagnosed as having a high-risk pregnancy when you have one or more factors that increase your (or your baby’s) risk of having a health issue during pregnancy and/or during or after delivery, or that raise the chances of having preterm delivery.
Sometimes these risks are related to the pregnancy, such as carrying twins or triplets. In other cases, these risks are related to the mother, such as having a health condition, like heart disease, before getting pregnant.
And in some instances, issues with the baby’s health, such as a birth defect, cause a pregnancy to be labeled a high risk.
Here’s a look at some other factors that might make your pregnancy a high-risk one:
Maternal health conditions (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, epilepsy, heart or blood issues, rheumatologic diseases, infectious diseases)
Advanced maternal age (35 or older)
Being overweight or obese
Being underweight
Maternal lifestyle factors (e.g., smoking, drug use, drinking)
History of pregnancy-related problems (e.g., multiple miscarriages, stillbirths)
Preeclampsia
Placental abruption or placenta accreta
Issues with your amniotic fluid
Fetal birth defects, inherited genetic disease or syndromes, or chromosome issues
Fetal growth problems
Fetal anemia
Multiple births
If you’re told you have a high-risk pregnancy, stay in contact with us to ensure your health and the health of your baby. By taking the recommended precautions and following medical advice, you may be able to enjoy a healthy pregnancy and delivery.
Do high-risk pregnancies require special care?
Every pregnancy is different, including every high-risk pregnancy. This means that prenatal care for high-risk pregnancies isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula. Dr. Morales creates personalized care plans for all high-risk pregnancies.
But generally, women with high-risk pregnancies can expect to receive counseling on key lifestyle steps to make their pregnancy as healthy as possible, such as prenatal vitamins, a nutritious diet, and avoiding alcohol, tobacco, and drugs.
In addition, high-risk pregnancies may require additional prenatal tests and imaging studies to keep an eye on your health and the health of your baby. The tests you need depend on the factors that make your pregnancy a high risk, but the tests may include:
Specialized ultrasounds
Additional lab tests
Genetic screenings
DNA screenings
Biophysical profiling (e.g., monitoring breathing, amniotic fluid)
You might also need more frequent prenatal visits so Dr. Morales can monitor you and your baby more closely. This allows her to make adjustments to your care as your pregnancy progresses.
For women with high-risk pregnancies, a hospital delivery is usually the best and only option, since these pregnancies have a higher chance of complications during labor and delivery.
The good news is that you can increase your health and well-being and the health and well-being of your baby by following our recommendations and getting the help and support you need, both in the medical community and at home with friends and family.Learn more about high-risk pregnancy and the ways Dr. Morales can help you have a healthy pregnancy and baby. Schedule an appointment with us at Willow OB/GYN in San Antonio, Texas.