Are you struggling to actualize your dreams of bearing a child? Getting pregnant may not be your primary obstacle; carrying to term could be the problem. The conception journey is complex, and what might seem like a straightforward concern could cause untold chaos. Seeking Jackson Heights pregnancy care services is advised, especially if you have experienced concerns such as recurrent miscarriages. Your doctor may recommend the care if your pregnancy is deemed high-risk. So, what do doctors consider to categorize a pregnancy as high-risk? Here are some of the common aspects.
Existing medical conditions
Medical conditions can impact your quest to get pregnant and carry it to term. Some conditions, such as high blood pressure, also put you at high risk of developing serious concerns like kidney damage.
If you carry a pregnancy to term with uncontrolled blood pressure, chances of low birth weight are high and/or preeclampsia. Other medical conditions that make it a high-risk include:
- Diabetes
- Autoimmune diseases
- Kidney disease
- HIV
- Thyroid disease
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), to name a few
While not necessarily a medical condition, your weight also counts. Obesity is seen as a high risk since it increases the chances of developing or worsening conditions such as diabetes. If your pregnancy is deemed high-risk due to health conditions, your doctor can devise a management strategy to help you carry to term and give birth to a healthier baby.
Lifestyle habits
Are you a drug user? How you go about your days during pregnancy impacts your overall health, the developing child, and the birth process. Drugs are the main point of focus, especially abuse. Excessive alcohol, for example, puts your baby at risk of developing fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). The disorders include behavior problems, heart and kidney disease, facial abnormalities, and development and intellectual challenges. On the other hand, tobacco consumption puts your child at risk of sudden infant death syndrome, preterm birth, and congenital disabilities. Other drugs could also result in stillbirth. Altering your lifestyle, including revising your diet and physical activity regimen, and avoiding drugs, can help improve your chances of carrying to term and delivering a healthier child.
Age
Has your first pregnancy hit at or above 35 years? At such an advanced age, pregnancy is seen as high risk. This is mainly since such individuals are at high risk of developing concerns like:
- Labor that won’t advance or prolonged, lasting 20 or more hours
- Gestational hypertension – pregnancy-related high blood pressure
- Gestational diabetes
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Pregnancy loss
- Complications during delivery, such as excessive bleeding
- Genetic disorders in the baby, like Down syndrome, to name a few
Your doctor can recommend intervention measures to limit such risks, keeping you and the baby safer during pregnancy, delivery, and after birth.
Pregnancy situation
Carrying twins, triplets, and quadruplets, among other multiple gestation combinations, puts the pregnancy at risk. Mothers are likely to have the babies before term completion and may need a cesarean delivery. Other pregnancy situations deemed high-risk include;
- Genetic conditions or defects noted on the baby
- Family history or previous preterm birth
- Preeclampsia or eclampsia
- Gestational diabetes, among others
A high-risk pregnancy means the child could easily be lost, the born may have some health issues, or both the mother and the child could die during the term or delivery, to name a few threatening concerns.
It doesn’t mean you are doomed if your doctor categorizes your pregnancy as high-risk. They can devise a strategy to help lower the risk and facilitate safer pregnancy and delivery. Contact Raveco Medical today for high-risk and pregnancy-related concerns.
