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Preparing for the birth of your child can be an exciting time. You also may find yourself on an emotional rollercoaster. It is perfectly normal for expectant mothers to feel immense joy one moment, and in the next, to feel stressed and overwhelmed. After all, you want a healthy pregnancy and baby. While most pregnancies go very smoothly, without any complications, sometimes complications do arise for a mother or her fetus — or both. These complications can exist even before pregnancy or can develop during pregnancy.
Richard Porreco, MD, Medical Director for the Center for Maternal-Fetal Care at Presbyterian/St. Luke's and Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children in Denver reminds his patients that a high-risk pregnancy does not automatically mean anything bad is going to happen to mother or her baby. "This is what we specialize in, and we have a great deal of experience caring for just such pregnancies," says Dr. Porreco. "The majority of high-risk pregnancies result in healthy babies and lots of smiles."
What to Expect when the Unexpected Happens
Physicians consider pregnancies high-risk when the fetus' or mother's health is threatened by a complication. Women with gynecological disorders or those who are at risk of complications during pregnancy will likely receive a referral to a Maternal-Fetal Specialist.
A Maternal-Fetal Specialist (also known as a perinatologist) is a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology with advanced training in the management of high-risk pregnant women with chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or other diseases, and women who develop complications during pregnancy such as early labor or multiple pregnancy. They also specialize in caring for pregnant women over age 40.
When a woman is considered to have a high-risk pregnancy, she can expect to visit the doctor more frequently. She also can expect several tests and comprehensive fetal evaluations, such as:
- Genetic Amniocentesis
- Chorionic Villus Sampling/Placental Biopsy
- Intrauterine Fetal Transfussion
- Fetal Blood Sampling
Maternal-fetal specialists and perinatal nurse practitioners will closely monitor high-risk pregnancies — much more so than if your pregnancy was low-risk. When necessary, certain procedures may be done, including percutaneous fetal therapy or fetal surgery. Mothers with high-risk pregnancies may be prescribed medications or bed rest for their health and safety, as well as the health and safety for their developing baby. They also may be admitted to the hospital for more acute care.
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>> Related Article: Pregnancy After 40
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