There are fewer happier and more exciting milestones in a woman’s life than learning she’s expecting a baby. Along with the thrill, though, are understandable concerns about how the pregnancy will go and what she can do to make it a healthy one.
There are certain factors that can cause a pregnancy to be classified as high risk, and we’ll take a look at them here.
Dr. Peter Khamvongsa and the compassionate team at The Miami Institute for Women’s Health have the vital combination of expertise and warmth to reassure you as you travel the path to motherhood. They are ready to provide careful assessment and monitoring throughout your pregnancy if it’s deemed high risk, so you and your baby are at your healthiest as your due date approaches.
In addition to providing excellent pregnancy care, Dr. Khamvongsa offers a wide range of gynecology and other services, and has special training in urogynecology.
Dr. Khamvongsa reassures patients who experience high-risk pregnancies about an important statistic to remember. High-risk complications ultimately play out in just 6-8% of all pregnancies, and with close attention throughout your pregnancy, we do all we can to bring you to a positive outcome.
The factors that contribute to high-risk pregnancy fall under two categories: modifiable and non-modifiable. In other words — things you can do something about, and things you can’t, in terms of altering the outcome of your pregnancy.
Here are three signs to be aware of that could indicate that your pregnancy is high risk:
If you live with a condition like diabetes and it’s not carefully managed, it can put you at higher risk for complications like stillbirth and preterm birth, while your baby is at higher risk for birth defects. Note that we are talking about diabetes that the mother was diagnosed with before pregnancy, not gestational diabetes, which comes with its own risks that Dr. Khamvongsa can discuss with you.
Epilepsy, asthma, high blood pressure, and rheumatologic diseases like lupus all put a woman in the high-risk pregnancy category, but with proper monitoring, your pregnancy can be well managed.
If you’ve been pregnant before and were diagnosed with pregnancy-related high blood pressure (preeclampsia), you’re at higher risk for preeclampsia with your current pregnancy. If your last baby was born prematurely or more than one premature baby, we want to watch out for and try to prevent another premature birth.
A history of miscarriage or stillbirth also means that you’re at higher risk for complications and should be carefully watched throughout your pregnancy.
With your current pregnancy, having placental problems, excessive or not enough amniotic fluid, and being pregnant with multiple babies are also factors that increase the risk of your pregnancy and birth, and require special care.
It’s empowering to know that you can make your pregnancy lower risk if you adhere to a healthy lifestyle. We know that drinking alcohol, smoking, and using recreational drugs all put your baby at risk for health and birth complications, like low birth weight, as well as birth defects.
Feel free to share any challenges you might be having with substance use with Dr. Khamvongsa. He can help by referring you to programs to provide assistance and support, and he can give you education about why it’s important to refrain from engaging in these activities.
Of course there are more factors that can place you in the high-risk pregnancy category, but just being aware of these can help you as you consider so much information about taking the best care of yourself and your baby as you await their birth.
Dr. Khamvongsa and his team are not only there to provide you with the most advanced obstetric care; they’re ready to listen to and support you.
You’re in the best hands at the Miami Institute for Women’s Health. Call our office at 786-220-2184 if you’re thinking of becoming pregnant or you’re in need of excellent obstetric care currently. You can book an appointment by phone or request one online.
