This article is part of the Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy.
OB/GYN doctors will classify a pregnancy as high-risk when pregnancy problems and atypical complications threaten a mother, her baby, or both before, during, or after delivery.
Here, in the United States, one in ten pregnancies is classified as high-risk.
It’s common to have questions if you have a high-risk pregnancy. Keep reading to learn more about how to have a healthy pregnancy, understand which risk factors associated with high-risk pregnancies, and find out more about things you can do to prevent problems and take care of yourself and your baby.
Every pregnancy is unique, so what is a risk for one patient may not be a risk for another woman.
What happens during your first prenatal visit
Some of the most common factors that can lead to a high-risk pregnancy situation are pre-existing, and others can happen during pregnancy. Some conditions can be controlled, and others aren’t treatable.
Problems that can lead to a high-risk pregnancy include:
Talk to your healthcare provider if you have questions about potential risk factors for your pregnancy.
If you have a high-risk pregnancy, your OB/GYN doctor may give you specific things to keep an eye on, such as:
It’s not always possible to prevent a high-risk pregnancy, but some of the things you can do to minimize risks and lower the chance of defects include:
Your OB/GYN doctor will keep a close watch on your pregnancy to detect problems quickly if you are high-risk.
Treatment for any high-risk pregnancy is always customized based on your risk factors. Your OB/GYN doctor’s goal during your prenatal appointments will always be to detect potential problems as quickly as possible.
If you are having a high-risk pregnancy, your OB/GYN doctor may recommend different tests or procedures during your routine prenatal visits to monitor your condition.
Some high-risk pregancy tests include:
Are you having a baby in north-central Indiana? Get personalized prenatal care that’s close to home.
Logansport Memorial Hospital offers convenient maternity care and a nurturing childbirth experience in a comfortable, home-like environment. Serving Cass County and the surrounding communities, our experienced maternity care staff provides a comprehensive, high-quality maternal and neonatal services.
Schedule an appointment by calling (574) 722-3566 or request an appointment online.