Up to ten percent of all pregnancies are considered high risk pregnancies In other words the health of the mother or child may be at risked due to any number of factors Among the factors that may qualify a pregnancy as high risk are

1. Blood disorders
2. Diabetes
3. Kidney Disease
4. Preelcampsia and eclampsia
5. Clotting disorders
6. Placenta problems
7. Preterm labor
8. Multiple fetuses
9. Mother is over 35yearsold
10. High blood pressure
11. Fetus abnormalities
12. Mother who smokes

The most common among these qualifying factors are hypertension and pregnancy induced hypertension also called in preeclampsia eclampsia gestational diabetes infections preterm labor and birth and blood clots Preeclampsia and eclampsia are conditions in which the mother develops high blood pressure excessive swelling and high amounts of protein in the urine Hyptertension can exist before pregnancy and women are usually on medications to keep their blood pressure in a normal range PIH develops later in the pregnancy and did not exist before the pregnancy developed Your OB provider will watch your blood pressure and excessive weight gain during pregnancy You can help avoid these problems through a healhty high protein and high fiber diet drinking lots of water and decreasing stress during your pregnacy If these conditions develop and get serious your OB provider might will encourage you to have your baby early Once you have your baby these conditions usually go away If PIH diagnosed many women are put on bed rest until their expected birthing dates In more severe cases a early birth might be recommended to assure the safety of both the mother and child

Gestational diabetes GDM is another condition that can develop during pregnancy Increased sugar levels in the blood and excessive insulin can result in very large babies and higher blood sugar levels Women who are at higher risk of developing GDM include At risk would be Women who develop gestational diabetes during previous pregnancies or Women who weigh over 200 Women who have had 9 babies Women with PCOS Women with a family history of diabetes

Over 50 percent of women who have GDM can develop diabetes later in their pregnancy and need to be tested after their babies birth for Type II Diabetes Careful attention to diet and exercise can help prevent the development of Type II Diabetes

Common infections such as a cold may not present any significant risk to a pregnant woman or her fetus but other infections such as Parvo B19 CMV and toxoplasmosis can affect the development of the fetus and give you a high risk pregnancy This is why it is important for pregnant women to avoid the following

1. Eating raw meat or fish
2. Drinking unpasteurized drinks
3. Eating soft unpasteurized cheeses
4. Changing cat litter
5. Gardening without gloves
6. Respiratory infections
7. Blood Clots

Blood clots during pregnancy can create lifethreatening conditions for both the mother and fetus Blood clots move through blood vessels and can end up in the lungs If this happens the life of both mother and the fetus can be endangered Family or personal history can be indicators of a womans chance of a highrisk pregnancy due to blood clotting issues Symptoms of blood clotting problems include pain or swelling in the legs shortness of breath or chest pains

Preterm labor is when your baby is trying to be born before it has completed its development A baby born before 37 weeks is considered preterm Lung maturity is a major concern with a preterm birth but feeding problems and neurological problems can develop if a baby is born too early There are many things you can do to prevent preterm birth Cutting back on your activities decreasing stress eating a healthy diet avoding smoking infections and other risky behaviors There are screening tools that can detect possible preterm birth that your OB provider might suggest There are also medications and treatments that can help prevent preterm birth

The best way to determine if your pregnancy is high risk is to schedule an appointment with your OB provider Your medical provider will ask questions about your personal and family history and run a series of tests over the course of your pregnancy to ensure you and your baby have the best possible chance at a healthy birth Remember conditions creating a high risk pregnancy can develop any time over the course of your pregnancy Follow up visits with your health care provider are essential to making sure you and your child remain healthy If you receive a high risk diagnosis this does not necessarily mean you will lose your baby or the baby will be born with health problems More than ninety percent of all high risk pregnancies result in the birth of healthy children What a high risk pregnancy diagnosis does means it is even more important that you adhere to the advice of your OB provider and adhere to a schedule of regular obstetric exams throughout your entire pregnancy.