2. Table Contents
• Definition
• Introduction
• Symptoms of High-risk Pregnancy
• Causes of High-risk Pregnancy
• Risk-Factors of High-risk Pregnancy
• Complications of High-risk Pregnancy
• Diagnosis of High-risk Pregnancy
• Treatment of High-risk Pregnancy
• Prevention of High-risk Pregnancy
• Conclusion
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3. Definition
All pregnancies
carry risks. The
definition of a “high-
risk” pregnancy is
any pregnancy that
carries increased
health risks for the
pregnant person,
fetus (unborn baby)
or both.
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4. Introduction
– People with high-risk pregnancies may
need extra care before, during and after
they give birth. This helps to reduce the
possibility of complications.
– However, having a pregnancy that’s
considered high risk doesn’t mean you or
your unborn baby will have problems.
Many people experience healthy
pregnancies and normal labor and
delivery despite having special health
needs. 4
6. Causes of High-risk Pregnancy
• Preexisting health conditions.
• Pregnancy-related health
conditions.
• Lifestyle factors
(including smoking, drug
addiction, alcohol abuse and
exposure to certain toxins).
• Age (being over 35 or under 17
when pregnant).
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8. Risk factors of High-risk Pregnancy
People with many preexisting conditions have
increased health risks during pregnancy. Some of
these conditions include:
•Autoimmune diseases, such as lupus or multiple
sclerosis (MS).
•COVID-19.
•Diabetes.
•Fibroids.
•High blood pressure.
•HIV/AIDS.
●●●
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9. Risk factors of High-risk Pregnancy
•Kidney disease.
•Low body weight (BMI of less than 18.5).
•Mental health disorders, such as depression.
•Obesity.
•Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
•Thyroid disease.
•Blood clotting disorders.
●●●
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10. Risk factors of High-risk Pregnancy
•Birth defects or genetic conditions in the
unborn baby.
•Poor growth in the unborn baby.
•Gestational diabetes.
•Multiple gestation (pregnancy with more than
one baby, such as twins or triplets).
•Preeclampsia and eclampsia.
•Previous preterm labor or birth, or other
complications with previous pregnancies.
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11. Complications of High-risk Pregnancy
• A high-risk pregnancy can be life-
threatening for the pregnant person or
unborn baby. Serious complications can
include:
• Preeclampsia (high blood pressure from
pregnancy).
• Eclampsia (seizure from pregnancy).
• Preterm delivery.
• Cesarean delivery (C-section).
• Excessive bleeding during labor and delivery,
or after birth.
●●●
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12. Complications of High-risk Pregnancy
• Low or high birth weight.
• Birth defects.
• Problems with your baby’s brain
development.
• Neonatal intensive care unit
admission for your baby.
• Intensive care unit admission for
you.
• Miscarriage.
• Stillbirth.
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13. Diagnosis of High-risk Pregnancy
• Blood and urine testing to check for genetic
conditions or certain birth defects in your
baby.
• Ultrasonography, which uses sound waves to
create images of your baby in the womb to
screen for birth defects.
• Monitoring to ensure your unborn baby is
getting enough oxygen, such as
a biophysical profile, which monitors their
breathing, movements and amniotic fluid
using ultrasound, and a non-stress test,
which monitors their heartrate.
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14. Treatment of High-risk Pregnancy
• Closer follow-up with your obstetrician.
• Consultation with a maternal fetal
medicine (high-risk pregnancy) specialist.
• Consultation with other medical
specialists.
• More ultrasounds and closer fetal
evaluation.
• Home blood pressure monitoring.
• Careful monitoring of medications used to
manage preexisting conditions.
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15. Prevention of High-risk Pregnancy
• Avoiding drugs and alcohol.
• Identifying potential health risks before
getting pregnant. Tell your doctor about
your familial and personal medical
history.
• Maintaining a healthy body
weight before pregnancy.
• Managing any preexisting health
conditions you may have.
●●●
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16. Prevention of High-risk Pregnancy
• Making sure any long-term
medications are safe to take during
pregnancy.
• Quitting smoking.
• Planning pregnancies between the
ages of 18 and 34.
• Practicing safe sex.
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17. Conclusion
•A variety of factors can make a
pregnancy high risk. These include age
and certain health conditions. If you have
a high-risk pregnancy, both you and your
baby may need extra care before, during
and after birth.
•Be sure to get thorough prenatal care.
Stay in close communication with your
healthcare provider to reduce your risk of
pregnancy complications.
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