High-Risk Pregnancy: Here are Important Things you should know

From the time you see double lines of your pregnancy test, the well-being of your unborn baby should remain a priority. So, it is normal for expecting parents to feel scared, shocked, and probably stressed when they are told that they have a high-risk pregnancy. And before you panic, you should understand that ‘high-risk’ doesn’t imply that you will not give birth to a healthy infant.

Often, there is a focus on everything that might go wrong. However, the reality is that things can go well. Many issues associated with high-risk pregnancy can be treated or managed during the pregnancy to have a healthy child and mom. Here are important things you should know about high-risk pregnancy.

What makes a pregnancy high-risk?

The following are the factors that can make your pregnancy high-risk.

• Being 35 years or older. At this age, women have a higher probability of child delivery complications.
• Drinking alcohol, smoking, and other forms of drug abuse
• Being obese or overweight
• High blood pressure
• Carrying multiples. Generally, if you are pregnant with twins or triplets can heighten the chances of premature birth.
• Other existing conditions such as thyroid diseases, kidney, and autoimmune diseases might set you up for a more complicated pregnancy.

Fortunately, visiting an obstetrician early enough can mean good news as the expert will always be on the lookout for any issue. The process of identifying all risk factors is built into the usual structure of prenatal care, according to most obstetricians.

The recommended visits, specific questions asked, the regular examination of your blood and urine, the regular ultrasounds, evaluation of your baby are all performed to determine whether or not there is an indication of risk. Thus, if you are facing challenges with your pregnancy, consider visiting an obstetrician with experience in high-risk pregnancy in Santa Monica or your location.

High-risk pregnancy: What it means for you and your child

For ladies with a high-risk pregnancy in Santa Monica, the only difference is that you are more likely to be put under a bigger microscope. You will be required to visit your doctor regularly and undergo regular tests. In case you have a blood pressure problem, it is recommended to visit an obstetrician for regular blood pressure examinations. And yes, that means ‘a visit to the doctor’s office’ will be common in your to-do list.

Your unborn child will also be monitored closely as a high-risk pregnancy can set the fetus for complications including birth defects, high or low birth weight, and in rare instances, the risk of death before or immediately after birth. Even when there is a slight concern that a certain condition might lead to high risk, your doctor is more likely to escalate the level of surveillance of your child’s well-being.

Lastly, it is recommended for expecting parents to stay informed. This way, they can feel in control of their pregnancies. Even in the most challenging situations, if they have answers at hand, they will be in a better position to handle high-risk pregnancies.