High Risk Pregnancy

What Is A High-Risk Pregnancy?

The term high-risk pregnancy can sound a little scary but it does not mean you or your baby will have problems. What it does mean is that you and your baby need special attention so that your care team can catch and treat any potential problems early.

What Are Some of the Problems That Can Develop?

Sometimes a pregnancy is considered high-risk due to a condition that exists before pregnancy and sometimes a condition develops during pregnancy. Every woman has a different situation so it’s important to talk with your care team about your particular pregnancy.

What’s Different About A High-Risk Pregnancy?

If you have a high-risk pregnancy, you and your baby will be monitored more closely. You will see your care team more often, you may see additional doctors who specialize in high-risk pregnancies, and you may have more testing done.

What Decisions Might I Need to Make?

With a high-risk pregnancy, you may need to make decisions about various tests that are in addition to regular prenatal screening tests. If your care team recommends additional testing, to help you decide whether or not you want to go ahead with it, they will let you know:

• What the testing is for;

• If there are any risks to having it done;

• What they hope to learn from it.

How Can I Help Keep Myself and My Baby Healthy?

There are many things you can do to stay healthy during a high-risk pregnancy. These include:

• Go to all of your prenatal care appointments

  • That way, your care team can monitor you and your baby’s health.

• Exercise

  • Physical activity in pregnancy has minimal risks and many benefits. It is recommended for most women during pregnancy.

• Eat a healthy diet

  • Make sure to take the nutritional supplements your care team recommends, and stick to any special dietary requirements you may have.

• Gain weight wisely

  • Gaining the right amount of weight -- not too much and not too little -- can support your health and your baby’s health.

• Avoid Risky Substances

  • Do not smoke, drink alcohol or take illegal drugs. Talk with your care team about any new medications or supplements you would like to take.

Doing all you can to stay healthy during your pregnancy, and catching signs of a problem early, will help reduce the chances that anything serious develops.