What is a high-risk pregnancy?
A high-risk pregnancy is one that calls for you and your doctor to take extra care to ensure that you’re able to safely deliver a healthy baby. Physicians often label a pregnancy high-risk if you have a pre-existing condition that can hinder your ability to carry or deliver your baby.
What causes a high-risk pregnancy?
There are many pre-existing conditions and other risk factors that can contribute to a high-risk pregnancy, including:
Multiple gestations
A multiple gestation pregnancy means you’re carrying more than one child. This includes twins, triplets, etc.
Cervical incompetence
If you have cervical incompetence, your cervical tissue is too weak to carry your baby to term on its own. It causes your cervix to dilate (open) too soon in your pregnancy, often without contractions.
Gestational diabetes
Diabetes develops when blood sugar levels remain dangerously high. Gestational diabetes only shows up during pregnancy, but it can raise your risk of preterm labor, so it’s essential that your doctor monitors your blood sugar levels.
Gestational hypertension
Gestational hypertension — high blood pressure during pregnancy — can lead to a potentially dangerous condition called pre-eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia typically develops in women with high blood pressure after 20 weeks of pregnancy, which can raise your risk of organ damage.
What complications can a high-risk pregnancy cause?
Pregnancy complications can range from minor to severe with high-risk pregnancies. Without careful monitoring and proper treatment, a high-risk pregnancy raises your risk of:
- Preterm labor
- Early delivery
- Miscarriage
- Stillbirth
- Anemia
- Certain infections
- Low birth weight
It’s important to schedule routine visits with David L. Principe, MD, throughout your pregnancy to ensure that you have a healthy pregnancy and delivery.
How can I prevent high-risk pregnancy complications?
The best way to prevent pregnancy complications is to go to all of your prenatal doctor visits. During these appointments, your provider could, if needed, recommend a high-risk pregnancy ultrasound, a cervical length ultrasound, lab tests, and other scans and tests to monitor your health and that of your unborn baby.
Along with regular prenatal visits, David L. Principe, MD, could recommend one or more of the following preventive measures if you have a high-risk pregnancy:
- Folic acid supplements
- Prenatal vitamins
- Bed rest
- Healthy diet
- Weight management
- Regular exercise
- Avoiding cigarettes and alcohol
- Immunizations
- Stress reduction
To schedule a high-risk pregnancy consultation with David L. Principe, MD, call today to schedule an appointment.
