High-Risk Obstetrics Specialist

What is a high-risk pregnancy?

A pregnancy is considered high-risk when complications arise that can threaten the health or life of the mother and/or the baby. Any pregnancy can become high-risk at any point; when certain conditions or risk factors are known to be present, high-risk obstetric care can address concerns and minimize some of the impacts on both maternal and fetal health.

What causes risk to be higher in some pregnancies?

You’re more likely to have a high-risk pregnancy if you’re over the age of 35, or if you have certain health conditions before you become pregnant. These include:

• High blood pressure
• Lung, kidney, or heart conditions
• Diabetes and other systemic illnesses
• Autoimmune diseases
• HIV and other viral infections
• Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
• Previous miscarriages
• Genetic factors

You may also have a high-risk pregnancy if you develop one of the following conditions during your pregnancy.

• Preeclampsia, which involves high blood pressure, excess urinary protein, damage to internal organs
• Gestational diabetes, a type of diabetes that only occurs during pregnancy
• Placenta previa, where the placenta covers the opening of the cervix
• Fetal developmental issues, such as low fetal weight or heart malformation
• Premature labor, beginning before week 37

Multiple births, i.e., twins, triplets, etc. have a higher risk for most of these complications than does a singleton pregnancy.

What are the signs of pregnancy complications?

Diagnostic testing is the only way to identify many complications, but if you have any of the following symptoms, you should contact Suncoast Women’s Care for an exam.

• Light bleeding or spotting
• Abdominal pain or cramping
• Contractions before 37 weeks
• Decreased fetal activity
• Changes in vision
• Severe headaches

If you experience heavy bleeding or bleeding accompanied by severe cramps, call your doctor immediately. If your doctor isn’t available right away, you should go to the emergency room.

How does high-risk obstetrics address prenatal complications?

The experts at Suncoast Women’s Care have specialized training to provide high-quality care for high-risk pregnancies. High-risk obstetrics requires careful monitoring, specialized testing, and a hospital delivery setting.

High-risk obstetric care at Suncoast Women’s Care may include:

• More frequent prenatal checkups
• Frequent, comprehensive ultrasounds
• Fetal genetic testing
• Additional maternal blood and/or urine tests
• Fetal heart-rate monitoring

In some cases, a C-section is necessary for pregnancies that are at risk of complications during labor and delivery.

To learn more about high-risk obstetric services, call Suncoast Women’s Care, or schedule an appointment online.