Most pregnancies are healthy and troubled by few if any complications, but sometimes there are problems. In some cases, complications arise during the course of the pregnancy that makes it a high risk pregnancy. In other cases – when the woman has an ongoing medical condition, for instance – a pregnancy might be considered high risk even before conception. It’s important to get an earl diagnosis to not put you or the baby at risk.
The first thing couples experiencing a high-risk pregnancy should realize is that most babies born of high-risk pregnancies are born healthy.
When Is a Pregnancy High Risk?
A pregnancy is considered high risk when some kind of medical complication – in either the mother or the fetus – is likely to affect the pregnancy and its outcome. What follows is a list of some of the conditions that are likely to make a pregnancy high risk.
Pre-existing, ongoing medical conditions:
• Infections – AIDS, herpes, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, genital warts, fifth disease, Lyme disease, rubella, toxoplasmosis, trichomonas, hepatitis B, chicken pox or measles
• Blood disorders – Rh incompatibility, blood type incompatibility, sickle cell anemia or immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
• Endocrine disorders – diabetes, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism or migraine headaches
• Cancer – breast cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer or lymphoma
• Arthritis conditions – rheumatoid arthritis or lupus
• Maternal PKU – a metabolic condition
• Inflammatory bowel disease or gallstones
• Gynecological conditions – endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease or uterine fibroids
• Cardiovascular disorders – mitral valve prolapse and hypertension
• Asthma
• Epilepsy
• Urinary tract infection
• Psychiatric disorders
• Any genetic disorder
• A history of miscarriage
Medical conditions caused by pregnancy:
• Multiple gestation – twins, triplets or more
• Gestational diabetes – a condition in which levels of blood sugar are not properly regulated
• Preeclampsia – a disease characterized by high blood pressure, protein in the urine and swelling of face and hands
• Placental abruption – when the placenta separates from the inner wall of the uterus
• Placenta previa – when the placenta lies low in the uterus and partly or completely covers the opening of the cervix
• Intrauterine growth retardation – when the baby is not growing as rapidly as it should
• Incompetent cervix – when the cervix begins to dilate and efface before the pregnancy has reached term
• Premature labor – when contractions cause the cervix to start opening before 37 weeks
If Your Pregnancy Might Be High Risk:
Genetic counseling is available to couples who think they might be in the high-risk category. A genetic counselor’s job is to help a couple understand the nature of their risk or complication and what it could mean to the pregnancy. If possible, seek genetic counseling before you begin trying to conceive if you:
• Have a pre-existing, ongoing medical condition,
• Know of any genetic disorder in your or your partner’s family or
• Have had a previous high risk pregnancy.
If Your Pregnancy Is High Risk:
When you learn your pregnancy is high risk, you might feel worried and overwhelmed. Talk to your doctor or midwife about your concerns; write questions down as you think of them and bring the list to your next appointment. In the meantime, here are some things you should know:
• About 90-95% of high risk pregnancy babies are born healthy. The earlier the problem is detected during pregnancy, the better the chances for a healthy baby.
• The outcome for mothers with high risk pregancies is very good, especially if the condition is detected early.
• About 5-10% of all pregnancies are considered to be high risk. The rate is much higher in hosptial which specialize in high risk pregnancies.
• Prenatal care will be different with a high risk pregnancy. Depending on the condition, you could be referred to an obstetrician or perinatologists who are professionals who have had two or more additional years of special training to specifically deal with high risk pregnancy situations. Whoever you are referred to should fully explain what your condition is and give you an idea about how common it is and tell you what you can most likely expect for the remainder of your pregnancy.
What You Can Do:
Try not to be frightened by the words high risk pregnancy. Instead, learn as much as you can about your condition. Read up on the subject and ask your doctor questions. The more you know about your condition, the more in control you’ll feel.
Join a mom to be support group for high risk pregnancy. Ask your doctor if he or she can recommend one.
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