• Blogs >
• Pregnancy Blog >
• When is a Pregnancy High Risk?

30 Mar 2006 06:09 PM

When is a Pregnancy High Risk?

by Pattie Hughes | More from this Blogger

If you've spent any time reading about pregnancy, you've probably come across the term "high risk pregnancy". You may wonder what makes a pregnancy high risk. A variety of conditions can cause your doctor to classify a pregnancy as high risk. Some are present before you get pregnant, while others develop during the course of the pregnancy.

Certain medical conditions, present before pregnancy, make a woman at higher risk of complications. High blood pressure prior to pregnancy is one risk factor that can be serious. This puts the woman at higher risk of pre eclampsia. Other complications associated with high blood pressure include separation of the placenta and still birth. Patients with high blood pressure are carefully monitored. If the blood pressure gets too high, anti hypertensive drugs may be given. In some cases, the baby may need to be delivered early.

Diabetes prior to pregnancy can cause problems, depending on the severity of the condition. It's important to monitor the blood sugar and control the diabetes throughout the pregnancy. Serious complications can result from uncontrolled diabetes during pregnancy. The main complication is a very large baby. A c section may be needed, if the baby gets too big.

Asthma is another condition that can complicate pregnancy. The severity of the condition will determine the treatment. It's important for the patient to be monitored throughout the pregnancy and treated effectively. Asthma can change during pregnancy, either improving or becoming worse.

Other risk factors can develop during the pregnancy. The mother will start out with a normal pregnancy and later be classified as high risk. Problems with the placenta can make a pregnancy risky. The most common are placental abruption and placenta previa. Placental abruption occurs when the placenta begins to separate from the uterus. This causes bleeding and can deprive the baby of nutrients and oxygen.

Placenta previa occurs when the placenta is located over the cervix. It covers the opening of the cervix, partially or completely. This can cause bleeding and bed rest is often prescribed. A c section will be done before labor starts. If labor starts, the placenta can detach and steal the baby's oxygen supply.

Problems with the amniotic fluid can cause a pregnancy to be classified as high risk. This can occur if there is too much or too little fluid. Too much fluid stretches the uterus and can cause premature labor. A low fluid level can cause lung problems or other deformities in the fetus. Either condition can be dangerous for the baby.

Gestational diabetes occurs if the woman was not diabetic prior to pregnancy, but develops the condition during the pregnancy. The dangers to the baby are the same as in diabetes prior to the pregnancy. The baby can get too large and need to be delivered by c section. Treatment will depend on the individual and the severity of the condition.

Learn more about Pattie Hughes

Pattie Hughes is a freelance writer and mother of four young children. She and her husband have been married since 1992. Pattie holds a degree in Elementary Education from Florida Atlantic University.

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger

Send this to a friend

5 comments so far

Libby Pelham (11407) 04 Apr 2006 07:04 PM

I was "high risk" - 40 years old for most of the pregnancy (turned 41 a month before my sweetie was born) and had gestational diabetes (had to give myself insulin shots). Went on modified bedrest about a month before the birth because of my blood pressure, but everything went very well. I am doing great as is my beautiful (almost) 2 year old, so even high risk can turn out fine.

Pattie Hughes (7267) 04 Apr 2006 09:37 PM

Most high risk pregnancies turn out just fine. I'm so glad yours did!

karabu (980) 21 Aug 2006 11:40 AM

I had gestiationa diabetes, but was able to controll it with diet and exercise. I didn't find out untill late in my pregnancy that I was labeled 'high risk', and was a little shocked becuse I felt great, and really didn't have any complications. I think the term can cover a big range - potential problems to serious concerns.

moedean52gunch (68) 27 Nov 2007 12:45 PM

Not all folic acid is equal. Just learned that high-risk moms should consider the new folate called l-methylfolate. sounds weird; but this is actually the natural folate found in leafy green foods. folic acid is synthetic and not everyone can convert it over to l-methylfolate. check it out on google. found several pages of info. most OBs do not test for folate levels; but high risk specialists report that many women simply cannot get folate from folic acid after all. many of these end up with multiple miscarraiges and thus become 'high risk'. who knew???

Pattie Hughes (7267) 27 Nov 2007 02:47 PM

Thanks for the information. I've heard the same thing about all vitamins in pill form. The human body doesn't absorb the nutrients as well as from food sources.

Community Tags

health, high-risk, pregnancy, risk factors

Discuss this article

You must be logged in to tag, rate, or comment on this item.

User Name

Not registered? Register now, it's free and only takes a minute.

Password

Remember Login?

Add a Comment

You must be logged in to comment