High-Risk Pregnancy

Don't panic. You just need a little extra care.

Pregnancy should be an exciting and beautiful experience for mother and baby. Most pregnancies go smoothly, but for a few women, this is not the case.

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When a mother or baby has an increased chance of developing or experiencing serious health issues, the pregnancy is called high-risk. These complications can be pre-existing, identified during pregnancy or at the time of delivery. They require special testing and care from qualified professionals, but when properly managed, high-risk pregnancies can result in a healthy mother and infant.

 

Pre-existing causes:

  • History of genetic disorders in the family
  • Maternal age – If the mother is younger than 17 years of age, or older than 35 years
  • Smoking, drug or alcohol dependance
  • Maternal BMI of 35 or greater
  • Kidney problems
  • Diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • If you use any over-the-counter medications
  • If you’ve had a previous loss after 24 weeks

 

Medical Conditions During pregnancy:

  • If your baby is detected with any fetal anomalies or growth disorders
  • Placenta previa (where the placenta overlaps or covers the cervix. This condition that cannot be prevented and can cause bleeding in the second trimester)
  • Pre-term labor (labor before 37 weeks of pregnancy)
  • Pre-eclampsia (occurs when the mother develops high blood pressure during pregnancy which leads to blood clots and malfunctioning of the kidneys and liver)
  • Gestational diabetes (occurs when the pancreas fails to produce the raised level of insulin causing the sugar levels in the blood to spike up)
  • Multiple pregnancy
  • It is also a risk if you contract any viral infections during pregnancy such as: HIV, rubella, chicken pox, hepatitis C, etc.

At OceanMed our skilled obstetricians are happy to take on high-risk pregnancies. Our in-house imaging department performs complete fetal anomaly scans, thoroughly checked by a qualified radiologist, on every patient during their 18-20 week ultrasound. Should you need more detailed ultrasounds or a fetal echocardiogram, our technologists can perform the scans and they will be tele-read by a Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist or a pediatric cardiologist from Miami. Saving you time, money and stress. Urgent ultrasounds can be read same day, giving you peace of mind concerning your baby’s health.

Whether you have a high-risk pregnancy and require a fetal echocardiogram or need a routine prenatal scan, OceanMed accepts referrals. Just ask your doctor to refer you to OceanMed for your next ultrasound and give us a call on 946-2326 or email appointments@oceanmed.ky.