As a mom, you want to deliver a healthy baby into the world. Hearing that your pregnancy is high-risk, then, can be pretty stress-inducing.
A high-risk pregnancy doesn’t necessarily mean anything bad will happen to you or your baby, though. It just means you need more involved care.
We provide precisely that at Prestige Healthcare OBGYN in Atlanta, Georgia, led by our board-certified OB/GYNs Charis Trench-Simmons, MD, and Lorenza Simmons, MD.
Our prenatal care includes options like noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT). That lets us evaluate your risk level and tailor your care accordingly.
Your pregnancy could be deemed high-risk for several reasons, some that are in your control and some that aren’t.
A few of the most common categories of high-risk pregnancies include age-based ones (if you’re under 20 or over 35) and lifestyle-based ones (if you smoke or drink, for example).
Your pregnancy might also be deemed high-risk if you have a preexisting condition like:
Alternatively, your pregnancy might become high-risk if you develop a certain condition during it, including:
Finally, the way your pregnancy progresses can land you in this category. Slow fetal growth, an unusual placenta placement, and too much or too little amniotic fluid can all cause a high-risk pregnancy.
The kind of care you need during a high-risk pregnancy depends on what puts you in this category. If you’re 36 but you and your baby are otherwise healthy, for example, you probably need a lot less care than if you have slow fetal growth.
At Prestige Healthcare OBGYN, Dr. Simmons and Dr. Trench-Simmons customize a plan for you. Usually, a high-risk pregnancy means more doctor’s appointments with more check-ins on your baby along the way.
For example, a lot of women only get one or two ultrasounds during pregnancy. With a high-risk pregnancy, you might get this kind of imaging more frequently so we can closely monitor your baby’s development.
Depending on what’s in play during your pregnancy, we might also order periodic blood or urine testing. In some cases, we refer you to a maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialist, a doctor trained in managing high-risk pregnancies.
Our goal is to help you proactively manage the risks of your specific and unique pregnancy. To get a team of experts in your corner, call our office or book an appointment online today.
