Pregnancy is a time of many changes, physical and emotional, and the things that can happen during this time are pretty amazing. Babies can show signs of displeasure in the womb as early as 28 weeks, approximately one in every 2,000 are born with teeth, and there has been a baby born after only 21 weeks and fours days in the womb that is alive and well!
It’s also a time where there is always some risk of complications, but often they are low and very manageable. So, when is your pregnancy considered high risk, and how do you deal with it? To find out, let’s examine what factors determine a high risk pregnancy, what signs you should look for, and what we can do to help.
Women in the Las Vegas, Nevada area who need help navigating the changes they deal with during pregnancy can find help with Dr. Staci McHale and her dedicated team at WHASN Sunset Valley.
A high risk pregnancy is what happens when health conditions lead to possible complications for the mother, child, or both. This leads to the need for extra care to ensure a safe pregnancy, delivery and address needs after birth if necessary. As many as eight percent of American women deal with a high risk pregnancy annually.
Here are some issues that can cause you pregnancy to become high risk:
A number of illnesses can complicate carrying a baby, such as autoimmune diseases, hypertension, diabetes, blood clotting disorders, thyroid disorders, uterine fibroids, kidney disease, obesity, depression, anxiety, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and HIV/AIDS.
Habits that present a danger to you also do so to your child, like substance abuse, alcohol abuse, and smoking. Living in environments with high levels of toxins can also create high risk factors during pregnancy.
These are problems that develop during pregnancy, like preeclampsia, hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), congenital disorders, gestational diabetes, infections, placenta previa or accreta, vaginal bleeding, too much or too little amniotic fluid, and anemia.
With so many different ways a pregnancy can become high risk, there are many symptoms that should get medical attention, like worsening headaches, hand and face swelling, dizziness or fainting, racing heartbeat, fever, vision changes, vaginal bleeding, and severe fatigue.
Other signs include thoughts of harming yourself or the baby, labored breathing, severe abdominal pain, and noticing no movement from your baby.
Taking care of you and your baby during this time is our top priority, and if signs of high risk factors arise, there are many ways to manage the situation:
Many of the illnesses listed need specific steps to care for them, so each situation will be unique in how we treat it. High risk pregnancies can seem scary, but with the proper care and management, you and your baby will be just fine. Make an appointment with Dr. McHale and WHASN Sunset Valley today for any questions or concerns about your pregnancy, high risk or not.
