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What causes a pregnancy to be considered higher risk?
Wondering about what causes a pregnancy to be considered higher risk? Discovering a pregnancy often brings immense joy, excitement, and anticipation for many women. However, it also introduces feelings of anxiety, stress, and worry, particularly if the pregnancy is deemed high risk. A high-risk pregnancy indicates the need for additional care to ensure a healthy and successful outcome for both mother and baby. While some women initially have normal pregnancies, they may develop conditions that transition them into the high-risk category, a circumstance that occurs in approximately six to eight percent of all pregnancies. Moreover, nearly half of all pregnancies, close to 50%, possess risk factors that could benefit from the specialized expertise offered by a maternal-fetal medicine subspecialist, who specializes in managing high-risk pregnancies.
Various Causes of Higher Risk Pregnancy
Advanced maternal age: Pregnant women aged over 35 face a heightened risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and intrauterine growth restriction.
Pre-existing medical conditions: A woman’s underlying health significantly influences her pregnancy. Those with conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, lung, kidney, or heart issues, as well as autoimmune or sexually transmitted diseases, are at an increased risk of miscarriage or other complications.
Co-occurring medical conditions: Conditions arising during pregnancy, like preeclampsia or gestational diabetes, can pose serious risks to both the pregnant woman and her fetus if left untreated.
Pregnancy-related issues: Certain infections, a shortened cervix, or a history of premature birth may elevate the risk of premature labor for the pregnant woman and her fetus.
Multiple pregnancy: Carrying multiples, such as twins or triplets, heightens the risk of premature labor, gestational diabetes, and high blood pressure.
Placenta previa: This pregnancy-related issue can lead to excessive bleeding, particularly during contractions, necessitating a cesarean section to minimize risks to both mother and baby.
Depression: Depression during pregnancy can contribute to preterm birth, low birth weight, and a higher likelihood of cesarean section.
Blood disorders: Conditions like sickle cell disease increase the risk of urinary tract infections, fetal loss, preterm labor, and intrauterine growth restriction during pregnancy.
Obesity: Approximately 35% of women of reproductive age are affected by obesity, which raises the risk of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, miscarriage, stillbirth, and recurrent miscarriage during pregnancy.
Gestational diabetes: Diabetes affects 13% of pregnancies, and stringent control of blood sugar levels can reduce the risk of preeclampsia, cesarean delivery, and birth-related injuries.