High Risk Pregnancy

If you have what’s considered a high-risk pregnancy, then you may be referred to a perinatology team consisting of accredited ultrasonographers, nurses, and genetic counselors. Perinatology, also known as Maternal-Fetal Medicine, focuses on high-risk pregnancies and ensuring the health of both mother and baby throughout the pregnancy and afterward.

At Women’s Health, our Maternal-Fetal Specialists will work to ensure you have the healthiest and safest pregnancy possible.

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What Is a High-Risk Pregnancy?

A high-risk pregnancy is any pregnancy that shows a possible threat to the mother or fetus. Some pregnancies can become high-risk as they develop, while others are considered high risk from the beginning.

Fortunately, with the help of a perinatology team and careful monitoring, many high-risk pregnancies can result in healthy deliveries without complications.

Some risk factors for a high-risk pregnancy can include:

Existing health conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes
Being overweight or obese
Multiple births, like twins or higher-order multiples
Younger or older maternal age (teenagers or women over 35)

Common High-Risk Pregnancy Conditions

The term high-risk pregnancy is an umbrella term that can include a wide range of potential health conditions. The common factor is that each of these conditions can put the health of both mother and baby at risk. These conditions can develop at the beginning of pregnancy or later down the road but ultimately need to be treated by a high-risk pregnancy doctor.

Knowing what conditions and symptoms to look out for during your pregnancy can help you catch these conditions early and treat them accordingly. The three most common complications that can arise during a high-risk pregnancy include gestational diabetes, preterm labor, and preeclampsia.

Gestational Diabetes

While many people have heard of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, these are not the same thing as gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that women can develop while pregnant. The body cannot produce enough insulin to keep up with the demands of both mother and baby.

As a result, the mother typically deals with chronic high blood sugar. These elevated levels can put more strain on the mother’s body and potentially lead to an abnormal birth weight for the baby or birth complications such as an emergency cesarean section. Women can develop gestational diabetes at any stage of pregnancy, so it is important to be aware of how you feel and get your blood sugar tested at every prenatal appointment.

Symptoms of gestational diabetes you can look out for include nausea, excessive thirst, frequent urination, and excessive tiredness. However, you may not have any symptoms. This is why your Women’s Health OBGYN will regularly check your blood sugar levels at your routine prenatal appointments.

Preterm Labor

Preterm labor is when a mother goes into labor before 37 weeks of pregnancy. If a baby is born before 37 weeks, they may not have had time to fully develop. This can lead to health problems and complications that could place your baby in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Their stay in the NICU depends on how premature they are, and the current state of their health.

If you feel as if you are going into labor and you have not hit 37 weeks yet, seek medical attention immediately. The sooner preterm labor is caught, the better the odds of stopping labor before the baby is born prematurely.

Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a serious medical condition that can put both mother and baby at risk. It occurs when the blood vessels in the mother’s body constrict and limit blood flow to internal organs as well as to the baby. This limited blood flow can quickly lead to organ damage, seizures, and even strokes. If not treated immediately, preeclampsia can be fatal for both mother and baby.

If you are experiencing symptoms of preeclampsia, seek immediate medical attention as soon as possible.

Women’s Health Specialists & Obstetricians Dedicated to You and Your Baby’s Care

When you are trying to grow your family, you want the peace of mind that you and your child will both be happy and healthy throughout the pregnancy and into postpartum. Women’s Health Arizona is dedicated to providing all of our expectant parents with outstanding medical care. Our medical team consists of expert OBGYNs, Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialists, nurses, nurse-midwives, nutritionists, and more.

Maternal-Fetal Medicine for High-Risk Pregnancies

Matenal-Fetal Medicine physicians have extensive training and education about high-risk pregnancies that go beyond the standard OBGYN education. Our in-house Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialists at Women’s Health Arizona work alongside your primary OBGYN throughout your high-risk pregnancy and delivery to make sure you and your baby get the best quality of care.

At Women’s Health Arizona, our patients are our number one priority. We will work with you to build a care team that will provide custom high-risk pregnancy care for you and your baby. Our providers are licensed and experienced to offer you the best prenatal care and make sure your high-risk pregnancy is handled with care and compassion from day one.

Recommendations From Our Obstetricians

If you are trying to conceive, there are a few things you can do to better prepare for the experience of pregnancy and birth. We recommend working through preconception counseling with your spouse so both of you are prepared for the experience of pregnancy and the potential complications that can arise. Understanding the potential complications of a high-risk pregnancy can provide you with peace of mind, knowing that you are better prepared to deal with them if they arise.

We also recommend keeping up with routine prenatal check-ups and appointments with our Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialists. The number of appointments can vary depending on the health of your pregnancy, and you may have more appointments if your pregnancy is at high risk for complications. These appointments keep both you and your baby safe and healthy, catching any potential issues early on so they can be taken care of properly.

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What To Expect

As mentioned before, high-risk pregnancies mean you will have more frequent prenatal appointments with your in-house Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist and Women’s Health physician. These appointments are meant to keep a close eye on you and the baby’s health to make sure everything is okay. Our team will make sure your baby is growing well and gaining weight appropriately, and your health is in tip-top shape.

At your routine appointments, you can expect:

Genetic Testing
Frequent Blood Pressure Checks
Ultrasounds to Check Baby’s Growth and Development
Urine Tests to Check for Preeclampsia or Infection

If your pregnancy is high-risk, our team may want to schedule an induction at a specific medical facility equipped for neonatal care. Your Women’s Health physician will talk with you about your birth plan and what they believe is the safest option for you and your baby.