High Risk Pregnancy

High risk pregnancy is any pregnancy associated with higher risks to the mother or fetus, like cases of hypertension and preeclampsia, diabetes mellitus, or different causes of bleeding during pregnancy or poor fetal growth. The causes of high risk may be classified into internal chronic or acute diseases (like preeclampsia or chronic hypertension), surgical conditions such as adherent placenta at delivery, blood clotting diseases, endocrine problems (of the thyroid gland or diabetes mellitus), cases of poor fetal development or poor blood flow in the umbilical and fetal vessels, or diseases presenting with increased or reduced amniotic fluid volume.

It is advisable to consult your obstetrician well before getting pregnant, to give chance for preventing problems, doing some blood tests or optimizing your general health prior to pregnancy.

This also gives a chance to change any medicines you may be using into types that are safe during pregnancy. Occasionally, some ladies may be advised to delay conception until their medical condition is better controlled to ensure a healthier pregnancy outcome. In short, prevention is usually better than treatment.

Antenatal care is usually intensive for such cases  and includes closely spaced visits to the clinic to prevent complications or to diagnose any medical changes early enough to allow timely intervention. the patient usually sees the doctor twice monthly in early pregnancy, then weekly in later pregnancy stages. Occasionally, some cases may be referred to see consultants in other specialties such as vascular surgery or endocrinology. Cases are also advised regarding the best time and place for delivery, or the symptoms of risk to be reported to the doctor as soon as possible. Treatment includes advice regarding nutrition and the amount of rest/exercise, as well as the best or safest medicines to use.

Lastly, a good advice always brings better outcomes. Patients may develop serious problems if do not consult an experienced specialized doctor. This is why the best advice is to come for a consultation well before falling pregnant.