High Risk Pregnancy - Factors That Increase The Risk!

For every mom-to-be, pregnancy is a phase that is filled with excitement along with anxiety. Having a baby or being pregnant is usually a natural and effortless process. On being pregnant for a full term, a woman moves to labor and gives birth to her baby. This process, however, is not this smooth in all cases.

A considerable number of women face high-risk pregnancy where the mother and the baby have increased chances of health problems. A woman is said to have a high-risk pregnancy when some complications and dangers might affect the baby, the mother, or both. High-risk pregnancies are critical and require immense care and attention to work out successfully.

Factors that increase chances of high-risk pregnancy

1. Age: Maternal age is the most common risk factor for pregnancy. If the mother is less than 17 years or more than 35 years, the pregnancy becomes highly complicated and risky. The risk of miscarriage and genetic diseases further increase after the age of 40.
2. Medical issues: Medical conditions related to blood pressure, kidney, lung or heart diseases, autoimmune diseases, diabetes or sexually transmitted diseases can affect the health of the mother as well as the baby. During pregnancy, health conditions like preeclampsia syndrome that includes high blood pressure, urinary protein and swelling or gestational diabetes can be dangerous and even fatal if not treated with utmost care.
3. Other risks: Labor that happens before 37 weeks of pregnancy is called the pre-term labour is associated with complications including low birth weight, underdeveloped organs, vision problems, learning disabilities, and behavioural problems in the child.

Placenta previa, placental abruption, uterine bleeding, and multiple births like twins, triplets, quadruplets, etc. are other pregnancy-related issues that create dangers for mother and the baby.

Tips for a healthy pregnancy

1. High-risk pregnancies require a specialist to manage the complications and ensure best results for the patient. A woman having a high-risk pregnancy needs to visit the doctor more often than any other woman during pregnancy.
2. The health and growth of the baby and the mother have to be continuously monitored with frequent ultrasound tests, blood pressure test and urine test to check for all possible dangers.
3. Tests for genetic and other problems may also be done. During this period, the doctors give all needed medicines for diabetes, blood pressure or asthma to have control over the health of the mother and the child.
4. Also, in case of a high-risk pregnancy, gynaecologists refer perinatologists, the specialists trained to manage high-risk pregnancy smoothly. He works with other doctors and health care experts for best possible help and cares for the mother and the baby.

Thus, if a high-risk pregnancy is probable, you must be aware of the risks and complications and have regular visits to the doctor to ensure a safe delivery free of complications.