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Getting pregnant and delivering a healthy baby is one of the happiest moments in a parent’s life. But when your obstetrician labels your pregnancy as high-risk, your joy may turn into worry and stress. Fortunately, Dr. Frederic A Melius from Physicians for Women has years of experience managing high-risk pregnancies and ensuring safe delivery. Dr. Melius and his team use a personalized approach to ensure that your joy and happiness are not short-lived.
What is a high-risk pregnancy?
A pregnancy is high-risk when there is a risk of adverse maternal or fetal complications that may put the life of the mother or child in jeopardy. If your pregnancy is a high risk, you’re likely to have an early delivery. The midwives at Physicians for Women recommend that you go for regular check-ups to monitor your pregnancy and detect any risks before they cause any complications that may risk your life and that of your baby. If your pregnancy is labeled high-risk at the beginning of the term or in the middle, the midwives take extra care of you and ensure safe delivery. The midwives coordinate with a perinatologist to add extra support and offer intense testing and ultrasound to ensure that you and your baby are safe.
How can you know if your pregnancy is high-risk?
If you have a high-risk pregnancy, you may need consistent monitoring and extra care from your doctor. Pregnancy can become high risk at the beginning of the term, or you can develop medical conditions that may put your pregnancy in the high-risk category. The most common factors that may make your pregnancy high risk include:
- Triplets or twins
- Maternal heart disease
- Obesity
- Chromosomal or congenital conditions in your fetus
- A young age (under 17)
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Recurrent pregnancy losses
- Cervical incompetence
- Abnormal placenta location
- An older age (over 35)
- Alcohol, smoking, and drug abuse
- Bleeding during pregnancy
- History of preterm premature rupture of membranes or preterm labor
- Infections such as Rubella, Syphillis, Zika, Herpes, and Toxoplasmosis
- History of blood clots such as pulmonary embolism
The professional team at Physicians for Women explains the complications that you’re likely to experience and recommends several management techniques to help you have a safe delivery.
What are the management techniques for high-risk pregnancies?
A close relationship with your obstetrician can help you manage a high-risk pregnancy and deliver safely. Being keen on your appointments and following your doctor’s instructions minimizes the risk of complications. To ensure that you deliver a healthy baby successfully, your doctor may recommend the following:
- Avoiding sugary drinks and taking a lot of water, preferably 100 fluid ounces a day
- Exercising regularly according to your physician’s instructions
- Avoiding unpasteurized cheese
- Avoiding intake of raw meat
- Avoiding tap water when traveling
- Limiting the intake of certain types of food
- Changing your diet to gain about 25-35 lbs if you had a normal weight before pregnancy.
Call the Physicians for Women’s office or schedule an online appointment for a thorough evaluation to determine if your pregnancy is high-risk.
