Have you or someone you know been affected by a high-risk pregnancy? It’s an issue that can understandably cause a lot of anxiety for mothers both before and after birth.
However, with knowledge about what can lead to high-risk pregnancy, as well as what treatment options are available, it can put a lot of people’s minds at ease.
Dr. Samara Gibson, an obstetrician-gynecologist with the Detroit Medical Center, said there are three important questions to address regarding a high-risk pregnancy.
1. What is a high-risk pregnancy, exactly?
Gibson said a high-risk pregnancy is one in which a mother and her baby are at an increased risk of adverse outcomes, compared to uncomplicated pregnancies.
“These patients have a higher-than-normal chance of experiencing problems,” she said.
2. What factors lead to a high-risk pregnancy?
Factors that can lead to a high-risk pregnancy are wide-ranging, Gibson said.
“Many of these risks can be present even prior to the pregnancy, which are known as pre-existing conditions,” she said. “These include things such as cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, genetic diseases, bleeding disorders and so much more. Some of the risk may be due to the pregnancy itself, including the risk of preterm labor, pregnancy induced hypertension and diabetes, and even things related to the size and anatomy of the unborn baby.”
3. If a pregnancy is considered high-risk, what are the important services to look for when searching for a birthing hospital?
Gibson said the hospital should be capable of offering advanced, specialized care for high-risk mothers, both before and after birth.
“This includes having a specialized unit or birthing ward specific to high-risk mothers, as well as a neonatal intensive care unit dedicated to high-risk babies,” she said. “It’s also very important for the hospital to have maternal fetal medicine physicians, which are OB doctors with specialized training in high-risk pregnancies.”
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