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There are many factors that constitute a high risk pregnancy. Some depend on the midwife or health care provider you have and their current opinions. Some will depend on where you may plan to have your baby (home, birth center or hospital delivery) and the experience and training of your midwife or health care provider. Some stem from chronic conditions that was in place before pregnancy occurred. And some develop during pregnancy. Even though you may have a high risk pregnancy - with today's medical knowledge and help - chances are your outcome will be a healthy baby in the end.
AGE
The age of the mother if she is over 35 constitutes high risk to some midwives and health care providers. The reason being is that genetic certain conditions, such as Downs syndrome, occurs more frequently in older women. Also, miscarriages happen more with older women, because of the declining hormone levels. A midwife or health care provider will probably see an older woman more often and will run non-stress tests and offer amniocentesis and/or other genetic screening tests to help confirm or rule out any problems. However, many of these tests are invasive and have pros & cons associated with them as well as risks, such as possible miscarriage. Research the procedure before deciding whether or not to proceed. If the test comes back as positive for a problem, you may need to make a decision on whether you will want to terminate the pregnancy.
MoonDragon's ObGyn Pregnancy: Miscarriage
PRE-PREGNANT CHRONIC CONDITIONS
Conditions that were in place before pregnancy occurred will put a mother in a high risk category. Sexually transmitted diseases, sickle cell anemia, cancer, lupus, maternal PKU, diabetes, uterine fibroids, hypertension, urinary tract infections, rh-isoimmunity, asthma or other lung disease, alcohol and/or drug abuse, and seizure disorders are some of the conditions that will or may constitute a high risk pregnancy. With these illnesses your midwife or health care provider will be seeing you more often and will monitor and run more tests to insure as healthy a baby as possible.
PREGNANCY INDUCED CONDITIONS
Sometimes a perfectly healthy mother will come down with symptoms during pregnancy that will put her in a high risk situation. These include pregnancy induced hypertension (toxemia or preeclampsia), gestational diabetes, toxemia, infections such as urinary tract infections, problems with the placenta, incompetent cervix and preterm labor.
There are some cases where a previous cesarean or a breech or transverse presentation of the baby will be categorized as high risk. Again - this depends upon your circumstances and your midwife or health care provider.
The pregnancy induced conditions will occur later on in pregnancy - often surprising an otherwise healthy mom. In most all cases there is nothing you can do to prevent certain conditions - they simply occur and have to be dealt with. If you have to deal with gestational diabetes, breech presentation, previous cesarean and preterm labor and in all instances you are asking yourself if there was anything you could have done to prevent it, feel reassured that it was nothing you did or could have prevented. Sometimes things just happen and they have to be dealt with when they do occur.
With the onset of most of these conditions - you will see your midwife or health care provider more often or you may be referred on to a specialist. A lot of the cases, such as placenta problems (previa - where the placenta lays over the cervix - and abrupto - when the placenta tears away from the uterine wall), preterm labor and occasionally toxemia requires bedrest - at the hospital or at home depending on it's severity.
Close monitoring of both mother and baby will often keep a check on all the conditions of high risk pregnancy. Most high risk pregnant moms will go through a number of tests or at least be offered these tests- non-stress and stress tests, amniocentesis, blood tests, urine screenings, CVS (chorionic villus sampling) and level 2 ultra sounds. Some of these tests - CVS and amniocentesis do not come without risk - and you may need to weigh the benefit of having the test to the possible risk involved. However with today's medical technology - there is a certain assurance that everything possible is being done to help your baby to come to maturity and be born healthy and whole.
Whether you are facing a high risk pregnancy due to pre-existing conditions or due to pregnancy induced conditions - rest assured that if you seek the proper medical help and if you follow your midwife's or health care provider's recommendations you stand as good a chance of a healthy outcome as a normal woman with a normal pregnancy.
RELATED ARTICLES
OTHER POTENTIAL HIGH RISK CONDITIONS
NUTRITION DURING PREGNANCY
ARTICLES TO READ
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
Calculating Your Due Date
Hand Held Calculator
Online Calculator
Pregnancy Calculator
Common Pregnancy Symptoms
Hyperemesis Gravidarum - Conventional Treatment
Hyperemesis Gravidarum
Mood Tips
Bowel Tips
Gestational Diabetes
Dizziness In Pregnancy
Breast Enlargement During Pregnancy
Heartburn
Heartburn Tips
Pregnancy & Urinary Tract Infections
Pregnancy & Asthma
Pregnancy & Seizures
Pregnancy & Headaches
Avoid Pre-Term Labor
Strep B (GBS) Information & Consent
Pregnancy Backache
Prep For Easy Labor
Easy Natural Birth
Pregnancy High Risk Facts
True or False Labor
Twins, What are the chances
When Breech Presentation
HEALTH & FITNESS
Prenatal Vitamins
Nutrition During Pregnancy
Folic Acid During Pregnancy
Fatigue In Pregnancy
Getting Ready For Another Baby
Things To Avoid During Pregnancy
Pregnancy Don'ts
Dentistry During Pregnancy
Prenatal Exercise
Kegel Exercises
Smoking During Pregnancy
Drugs During Pregnancy
Medications During Pregnancy
Birth Defects
Weight Gain During Pregnancy
Pregnancy Concerns
Pregnancy & Chronic Health Problems
Skin Care Tips During Pregnancy
Coping With Bedrest
Circumcision Decision
Pain Relief in Labor
Cord Blood Preservation
INSPIRATION & FUN
Baby Name Tips
Baby Proofing Your Environment
Birth Kits, Preparing For A Homebirth
Birth Links & Supply Resources
Writing A Birth Plan
Bringing Baby Home
Traveling During Pregnancy & With Kids
What Is A Midwife?
Living With A Pregnant Person
When Baby Makes Three
Male Bonding by Kellie Head
Things I Wish I knew Before Parenthood
Birthing Within
Pregnancy & Headaches
Labor Laughter
Childbirth Classes - Are They Necessary
Childbirth Classes - Types Of
Doula Care
Massage & Effleurage During Labor
HypnoBirthing
Relaxation Practice
Labor Bag Preparation
Positive Birth Environment
Postpartum Truth
Pregnancy Myths
Pregnancy Nesting
MoonDragon's Pregnancy Calendar Index
Photos obtained from A Child Is Born by Lennart Nilsson
and Pregnancy - in anatomical illustrations by the Carnation Company
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