Finding the Right Doctor for a High-Risk Pregnancy

Being pregnant is often one of the most exciting times in a woman’s life. You are growing a tiny human inside you. How truly amazing is that?  It’s a very natural part of life, but for some women, the process isn’t so easy. High-risk pregnancy is defined as having certain risk factors that might create difficulties for the mom and baby during anytime of the pregnancy or delivery.

Some factors include, pre-existing conditions, advanced maternal age, multiple births and lifestyle issues. Don’t worry though, even if you are considered a high-risk case, it’s still possible that you will have a healthy baby.

Extra precautions are put into place to make sure that you both will be fine. Preeclampsia is one of the most common high-risk conditions. It’s estimated by the National Institute of Health that 2-8 percent of women will experience this condition.

Finding The Right Doctor

Your OB/GYN is going to specialize in high-risk pregnancies, so when you make your appointment, be sure to ask about this. You might not even know right away that you are considered a high-risk case, but the first doctor you see should be able to make that determination by asking you a variety of questions.

If this isn’t your first baby, and you were considered high-risk with your first pregnancy, then you will be in this category for all subsequent births. Revere Health is exceptional at providing care to high-risk women. It’s one of the things we take the most pride in, so that both mother and baby will have a successful future.

It’s estimated by the National Institute of Health that 2-8 percent of women will experience a high-risk pregnancy throughout their child bearing years.

Some Sensitive Issues

More and more women are having babies later in life because many couples feel that being established in a career is going to give them more to offer a future family. 35-years-old isn’t “old” in anyone’s book, but for classification of pregnancy it’s considered “advanced maternal age.” This means that you are considered high-risk, and there are some extra steps a doctor will take to ensure the health of the mother and baby.

There are additional genetic tests performed, and sometimes an amniocentesis is done as a precautionary measure to check on the health of the developing fetus. This prenatal diagnosis test is going to find out if there are any abnormalities in the baby.

Sadly, the Center for Disease Control estimates that every 4.5 minutes a baby is born with some type of birth defect.

It can help diagnose Down syndrome, fragile X and even neural tube defects as just a few of the problems that can occur. Sometimes women are reluctant to have these test performed, but ultimately it’s up to the woman who is pregnant to make that decision for themselves. Sadly, the CDC estimates that every 4.5 minutes a baby is born with some type of birth defect.

Multiple Births

Women who have had an in vitro fertilization procedure to get pregnant are at a higher risk for multiple births according to the American Journal of Epidemiology. If you have more than one baby growing inside you, then it’s considered a high-risk pregnancy. Multiple births don’t have as long of a gestation period as a solo baby.

With a high-risk pregnancy, you might feel like you have more appointments and testing than an average woman. Don’t worry though, it’s only to ensure that you both stay healthy throughout the entire pregnancy up until delivery so that you are able to take home a healthy baby at the end of the experience.

Finding the right doctor to handle your high-risk pregnancy is of the utmost importance. Talk to your OB/GYN providers at Revere Health to learn all about our high-risk doctors that will be able to handle your pregnancy through all the crucial months.

The obstetricians/gynecologists, nurse practitioners and certified nurse midwives at Revere Health OB/GYN provide a full range of healthcare services to women throughout all stages of their lives, including puberty, child-bearing years, menopause and beyond.