High-Risk Pregnancy Overview
A woman is considered to have a high-risk pregnancy if a known health condition has placed herself, her baby or both at a higher than normal risk for pregnancy complications. Common examples include women over the age of 35 years, young women under the age of 15 years and those with serious health conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Any woman placed at high-risk will need to be in contact with their OBGYN throughout the entire pregnancy. Dr. Dennis Eisenberg is highly experienced at assisting and monitoring all pregnant women living in the Plano, Frisco and Dallas, Texas communities to help guarantee a healthy and happy mother and baby.
What is a High-Risk Pregnancy?
When women hear the term “high-risk pregnancy,” many become stressed and scared. The medical term is serious, but is also just a way physicians make sure an expecting mom gets the care she requires. If a woman is considered at a high risk for pregnancy complications, she will be monitored more closely during the pregnancy trimesters in case a problem occurs.
There are a number of items that can place a woman at high-risk. The health condition can affect the mom only, the baby only or both the mom and baby.
Common examples of a high-risk pregnancy include:
- A woman with a serious health condition such as high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, epilepsy or cancer
- A pregnant woman who uses nicotine and/or alcohol
- A multiple pregnancy (more than one baby is developing)
- A woman over the age of 35 years, or under the age of 15 years
- A woman who has had numerous miscarriages
- A baby diagnosed with Down syndrome or a lung, heart or kidney disorder
- A woman with HIV, hepatitis C, chickenpox, syphilis, rubella or other infection
- A woman with past pregnancy issues such as preterm labor, preeclampsia or seizures
Women taking certain medications, such as lithium, Tegretol and Dilantin, are also at risk of pregnancy complications. A physician will discuss all medications in great detail with each expecting mom.
How Does an OBGYN Reduce Pregnancy Complications?
If a pregnant woman is considered high-risk, that does not mean she will experience numerous pregnancy complications. It simply means she is at a higher than normal risk and will be under the watchful eyes of her OBGYN team.
In order to reduce the risk of potential pregnancy complications, a pregnant woman will visit her physician more regularly, will have additional ultrasounds performed to examine the baby’s development and health, will have more blood pressure checks and will have more urine tests to check for urinary tract infections and protein.
An OBGYN will also recommend women with a high-risk pregnancy to take certain precautions at home, including:
- Eat a balanced, healthy diet
- Stay physically active
- Take folic acid daily
- Take all prescribed medications and vitamins as directed
- No smoking or alcohol
- Stay away from individuals who are sick
To learn more about pregnancy complications associated with a high-risk pregnancy, please contact Dr. Dennis Eisenberg, OBGYN serving the Plano, Frisco and Dallas, Texas area.