You have just gone through a pregnancy kit test, and it appears positive. It feels great! 

Women who have a normal pregnancy give birth to a healthy baby. However, not all pregnancies are trouble-free. You may have a high-risk pregnancy which indicates both your and your baby’s health is in danger. It’s shocking but true that around 5-6% of pregnancies come with high-risk complications. 

If you want to know more about how to diagnose it and get proper treatment, this article has all that you need to know about high-risk pregnancy.

Is there Any Age of High-Risk Pregnancy?

Women with age below 17 years or above 35 years are more prone to have pregnancy complications. You may have a higher risk if:

• You have anaemia.
• You lack good care during pregnancy.
• You have a higher chance of giving birth too early.
• You have Sexually Transmitted Infections(STIs).

Symptoms of a High-Risk Pregnancy

Below are the symptoms of unsafe pregnancy.

• Unending belly pain.
• Pain in your chest.
• Feeling dizzy or passing out.
• Being extremely tired.
• If your baby stops moving or slows down.
• High Fever
• More intense nausea and throwing up than usual morning sickness.
• A severe headache that sticks around or gets worse.
• Swelling, redness, or pain in your face or limbs.
• Thoughts about hurting yourself or the baby.
• Struggling to breathe.
• Bleeding or unusual discharge from vagina.

Risk Factors Contributing to a High-Risk Pregnancy

Here are some risk factors of high-risk pregnancy:

• Diabetes
• Fibroids
• High blood pressure
• HIV/AIDS
• Depression
• Kidney disease
• Low body weight
• Thyroid illness
• Blood clotting diseases
• Birth or genetic disorders in foetuses
• Poor foetal growth
• Gestational diabetes
• Multiple gestation
• Pre-eclampsia
• Eclampsia
• History of premature labour or birth

Factors related to Mother:

• Underweight/overweight
• Age <17 or>35
• IVF pregnancy
• Fibroid uterus
• Medical conditions like diabetes, high BP, kidney, thyroid disease, blood clotting disease, gestational diabetes,, pre Eclampsia, eclasmpsia, HIV/AIDS, Depression

Factor related to Baby:

• Poor fetal growth
• muteyeipreg
• History of preleim birth

How to Diagnose a High-Risk Pregnancy?

Your healthcare provider recommends the following diagnostic tests based on your situation:

• Targeted ultrasonography: This ultrasound for foetuses targets particular problems, such as abnormal development. They use high-frequency sound waves in the process.
• Prenatal Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) Screening: The medical professional takes DNA from the mother and foetus through a blood sample under this test. Then he checks the foetal DNA for an elevated risk of particular chromosomal issues.
• Intrusive DNA Testing: Your physician may recommend chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or amniocentesis. After week 15, amniocentesis is performed. Amniotic fluid is taken in order to diagnose major issues with the brain or spinal cord and genetic disorders. Conversely, CVS is completed in weeks ten and twelve. These are placental sample cells used to detect specific genetic disorders.
• Ultrasound for Cervical Length: Your health care expert measures the length of your cervix during prenatal appointments using ultrasound tests. It also helps them to assess the risk of preterm labour.
• Blood Tests: Blood test for screening of anemia, diabetes, infections, immune disorders & urine test for UTI.
• Biophysical Profile: This prenatal ultrasound checks if the baby is fine inside. It assesses the foetus through ultrasound. Sometimes, depending on the results, it also includes foetal heart rate monitoring (nonstress test).

There are certain prenatal diagnostic tests, like amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling. They carry a slight risk of pregnancy loss. Therefore, the decision to undergo these tests is yours and your partner's.

Treatment of High-Risk Pregnancy

Here are some treatment options that can help you to avoid unsafe pregnancy.

High Blood Pressure:

High blood pressure occurs when the force of the blood against the artery walls is excessively high. Your blood pressure should not be too high or too less, means you must keep it at normal levels during pregnancy. Healthcare experts say that you have hypertension when bp reading is above 140/90. If you leave it untreated for long, it leads to health issues like heart disease and stroke.

You can lower your bp level by adopting a healthier lifestyle. Consume less salt, oil and take prescribed medication.

Gestational Diabetes:

When you have diabetes in pregnancy, it is Gestational diabetes. The condition is temporary and goes away after delivery. You can still manage it by:

• Monitoring your blood sugar levels regularly.
• Eating a diet with fewer carbs in a balanced way throughout the day. If you find it hard to calculate carbs, you can take the help of a nutrition expert.
• Double-check your weight gain.
• Keep a daily record of your physical activity and your glucose levels.
• If not controlled by diet alone, medications/ insulin may be required.

HIV Treatment:

If you have HIV, there is a high chance that it can pass to your baby. The disease can pass to your baby either during pregnancy (through the placenta) or while breastfeeding. Depending upon the load, doctor may prescribe the risk of mother to child transmission.

Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy

Here are some tips to follow for a healthy pregnancy:

• Make sure you're healthy for a pregnancy. You can go for a routine health check-up for this, before you start planning the pregnancy.
• Get the right vaccinations at right times.
• Try to keep a healthy weight, eat well, and stay active.
• You must quit smoking, drinking alcohol, or using recreational drugs.
• Eat healthy and exercise daily.

Will Every Pregnancy Be High Risk?

Without a doubt, no! Not every pregnancy you have in the future will be high-risk. Not to forget, every pregnancy is different. If you are experiencing complications in your existing pregnancy, it doesn’t mean your next pregnancy will have complications too. As time passes, your health conditions also change.

Conclusion

High-risk pregnancy is treatable if you know how to manage it properly. There is nothing to worry about in case of risky pregnancy. If you had preterm delivery in the past, you can expect it in your next maternity experience.