High Risk Obstetrics

Before a woman becomes pregnant, it is important for her to have good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. Good preconceptual care, prenatal care and medical treatment during pregnancy can help prevent complications during a pregnancy.

Some women may have risk factors in their health or obstetric history that can cause a high-risk pregnancy. Risk factors for a high-risk pregnancy can include:

• Young or old maternal age
• Being overweight or underweight
• Having had problems in previous pregnancies
• Pre-existing health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, blood clotting problems, heart or lung problems and more
• Being pregnant with twins or triplets

Health problems can also develop during a pregnancy that can make it high-risk. Such problems may occur even in a woman who was previously healthy and can include:

• Gestational Diabetes (pregnancy caused) or High Blood pressure
• Pre Eclampsia (toxemia) of pregnancy
• Preterm Labor
• Infection
• Intrauterine Growth Restriction (a baby that is not growing well)

Your SOGA physician will work closely with a perinatologist (high risk pregnancy specialist) to ensure the health of both mom and baby. We can perform specialized ultrasounds called Level 2 ultrasounds at St Josephs’s Hospital Breese that are read by the perinatologist via teletouch medicine. Our high risk moms can also get antenatal testing such as non-stress tests, doppler (blood flow) studies, and biophysical profiles in our offices or at a Hospital close to home.