High risk pregnancy

The term "high-risk pregnancy" suggests that additional care is needed for a healthy and successful pregnancy and childbirth. This is often the case if you have a chronic disease or other factors or conditions that could put you in a high-risk category.

It is even possible to start a normal pregnancy and develop conditions that place you in the high-risk category. Regardless of what makes your pregnancy a high risk, you and/or your baby may have ongoing problems during pregnancy, childbirth, or even postpartum.

Problems can be minor or life-threatening for mother and baby, requiring special care and supervision by a doctor.

Emotional support for a high-risk pregnancy diagnosis

A high-risk pregnancy can bring on many different feelings. In fact, you will probably feel a mixture of emotions. These emotions can prevent you from enjoying your pregnancy due to the stress and anxiety they can cause. You may be worried about your health and the health of your baby, but your doctor should help you deal with these feelings.

Ask your provider for information and resources you can use to manage your emotions. You should also start building a support network to help you deal with these emotions. Your support may come from family, friends, and even other women in a similar situation. Sharing your thoughts, feelings, and concerns can give you an outlet, help you stay in the loop, and better control your feelings.

You may hear and read about the many problems and complications that can result from a high-risk pregnancy, but that doesn't necessarily mean you won't have a healthy baby. Manage your emotions with your support system to help you get through those times when you are overcome by fear and anxiety.

Causes of high risk pregnancy

Many factors can make pregnancy very risky. If you had problems with a previous pregnancy or delivered prematurely, your next pregnancy may fall into the high-risk category.

Of course, this doesn't mean that you will definitely experience the same problems again, but previous pregnancy problems may cause your doctor to monitor your health and pregnancy more closely.

If you've ever had health issues that could make pregnancy more risky, talk to your doctor before getting pregnant. Your doctor can help you navigate your pregnancy in a healthy and safe way.

However, keep in mind that there are many conditions that can affect pregnancy:

Blood disorders such as sickle cell anemia
Chronic kidney disease such as preeclampsia
Depression includes anxiety.
High blood pressure
HIV or AIDS
Lupus
Mother's age
Obesity
Thyroid disease
Type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Type 1 and 2 diabetes can lead to fetal macrosomia: the birth of a large baby.

High environmental risk pregnancy triggers

Keep in mind that bad lifestyle habits can also affect pregnancy. Smoking, drinking too much alcohol, and using illegal drugs increase the risk of pregnancy problems. In fact, drinking alcohol during pregnancy exposes your unborn baby to many health risks, some of which are fatal.

Also, if you smoke, you may have a low birth weight baby. If you are struggling with an unhealthy lifestyle, see your doctor for help with these issues.

Some problems arise even when a woman is healthy. Many of them cannot be foreseen or developed without explanation.

Some include but are not limited to:

Birth defects
Gestational diabetes
Growth problems
Multiples
Preeclampsia

Will my prenatal care be different at high risk?

Generally speaking, high-risk pregnancies are likely to require more frequent prenatal visits and closer follow-up. If your condition is severe enough, you may even be referred to a gynecologist for care and treatment. Doctors of this type have special training in caring for women who are experiencing high-risk pregnancies.

The specific care you receive depends on your condition and your specific situation. This doctor will likely continue to work with your gynecologist to make sure you and your baby are healthy as your pregnancy progresses.

Does a high-risk pregnancy affect delivery?

A high-risk pregnancy can cause problems during childbirth. This is why home births, as well as birth centers, are generally not suitable for high-risk pregnancies. The hospital is usually the best option, and often the only one available, as they have the proper equipment and staff to keep a close eye on the birth process and intervene if something goes wrong.

Also, if you have twins, you are more likely to give birth early, especially in high-risk pregnancies. Preterm birth is common in high-risk pregnancies. Early labor can be caused by too much amniotic fluid around the baby or other conditions that cause early labor. Everything is possible. Your doctor may even give you LA to help prevent or reduce the chance of other health problems for you and your baby.

There may also be situations that make vaginal delivery too risky and you may need a caesarean section as a result. That's why it's a good idea to talk to your doctor about what you might need to prepare for during labor so you're mentally prepared and know what to expect.

Is my baby okay?

High-risk pregnancy naturally raises concerns about the health and well-being of the baby. Good prenatal care helps to have a healthy baby, even if the pregnancy is high risk. Keep lines of communication open with your doctor and talk to him about your concerns and everything you can do to keep yourself and your baby as healthy as possible. This means discussing any medications you are taking and allowing your doctor to change your medications if they are not safe for the baby.

Note. Do not stop taking any medications without first talking to your doctor.

If complications arise from drug interactions or medical conditions, the result can be early labor, which can lead to breathing and feeding difficulties, not to mention a whole host of other complications. If this happens, the child may need to spend more time in the hospital to stabilize and recover, in addition to more care and attention. When this happens, newborns are often admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit.

Reduce high-risk pregnancy complications

If you fall into the high-risk category during pregnancy, there are things you can do to improve the health and well-being of your unborn baby and yourself, and avoid pregnancy complications:

Schedule a preconception visit with your doctor
Find out all you can about your condition
Go to all your prenatal appointments
Have a healthy lifestyle gain the right amount of weight and stay active if you’re able
Ask your partner, family, and friends for support
Look after your emotional well-being