What is the High Risk Pregnancy?

Families rejoice at the news of pregnancy and start preparations for the new baby. However, they should also take into consideration that there are risks involved. The slightest of negligence in the regular health check up can cost you dearly. The result of a high-risk pregnancy can be premature baby with birth defects. In the case of a high-risk pregnancy, the risks can be life threatening for the baby and the mother. Five to ten percent of pregnancies are high-risk pregnancies. The high-risk pregnancy occurs mainly due to the woman’s pregnancy condition, her previous medical history, and other reasons. Even though the pregnancy is termed high risk, it certainly can be treated with advanced medical research and technology. One must stay as healthy as possible before pregnancy and regular consultation with your physician helps to have the healthy pregnancy for the woman.

Causes of the High Risk Pregnancy
The causes of a high-risk pregnancy can be as follows;

• Past Problem Pregnancies
• Overage Pregnancy
• Chronic diseases
• Diabetes
• Kidney Disorders
• Heart Disorders
• Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD)
• High Blood Pressure
• Autoimmune Problems
• Gestational Diabetes, which happens during pregnancy.
• Multiple Pregnancies

How to take Care in High Risk Pregnancy

When the prospective mother is diagnosed with the high-risk pregnancy, she is advised to take full rest until the delivery of the baby. Family support for the woman counts more than anything else in the high-risk pregnancy. In order to have a safe delivery the woman must stop substance abuse like smoking, alcohol, and caffeine consumption because it would worsen the condition and affects the baby and the health of the woman. Coping with high-risk pregnancy is not as easy as it seems unless the mother is committed to deliver the baby safely. A high-risk pregnancy woman needs immediate hospitalization during the last moments of her pregnancy. Health professionals need to act faster with this kind of patients and must be trained people to handle such emergencies. In the case of the early delivery of baby, the patient needs to choose such hospital that has Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. There are also physicians that are specialists in managing the high-risk pregnancies. Hospitals also have a Maternal-Fetal Medicine Department that is equipped to take care of high-risk pregnancy women. When all the care is taken the chances of having a healthy delivery rise to ninety to ninety-five percent. When the woman has to stay in bed longer, she can at times suffer mentally but with the help of family and support groups, this problem can be addressed in a better way. It is important to stay calm and do not lose patience.

Introduction

Miscarriage is the loss of a fetus up to the 20th week of pregnancy. Miscarriages can occur due to several reasons and mostly the causes may not be known. Miscarriages mostly occur in the first 13 weeks of pregnancy and this is the time that one needs to take special care. The reason could be due to defects found in the baby’s chromosomes or any serious illness that the mother catches in the initial stages such as jaundice or pneumonia.

There is nothing abnormal about experiencing a single miscarriage before achieving a successful pregnancy however if you are experiencing recurrent miscarriages it can indicate fertility problems which require investigation.

Warning Signs

To avoid a miscarriage from occurring one can be aware of the warning signs which can lead to miscarriages though they may not necessarily be true in all cases. Severe back pain with cramps in the stomach needs to be investigated. Any abnormal vaginal bleeding is not normal and needs to be checked up immediately. Though there are some cases where pregnancy spotting (slight bleeding) can take place in the early pregnancy but it is important to speak to the gynecologist as normally one should not bleed at all during the entire pregnancy. Smoking and drinking alcohol or taking drugs and medication without advice can also make you vulnerable to a miscarriage. Uterine abnormalities or fibroids found in your uterus can also make you vulnerable to miscarriages. There can also be hereditary factors for a miscarriage and the reasons cannot be detected.

Prevention of a miscarriage

You can take the following tips to lower your risk of a miscarriage. The most important factor to consider before going in for a pregnancy is to keep you physically and mentally healthy by following a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Secondly it is important that you completely give up smoking and alcohol before trying to conceive. If you are taking any drugs on a long term basis have a word with your doctor and find out the effect of these drugs on your fertility and ability to conceive and the safer alternatives if any. You can begin taking folic acid tablets regularly before you are pregnant to improve your chances of retaining the pregnancy. If you have chronic health problems such as thyroid problems or diabetes it is important to try and control or manage the problem with diet and medication to avoid dosage of medication during pregnancy. Genetic counseling can be done for women with chromosomal problem which are generally hereditary. Structural problems such as positioning of the uterus can be rectified through surgery however this is no guarantee of a successful pregnancy however it can reduce the chance of a miscarriage.

Introduction

There are many women who are anemic or become anemic during the course of pregnancy. Low iron levels can affect the child’s mental development in negative ways and so children born to anemic mothers generally tend to score lower in tests as compared to those children whose mothers had normal or high iron levels. The first test that you are required to do in the first trimester is the hemoglobin test which checks your blood count and if found low the doctor prescribes iron supplements. This test is again repeated in the second trimester to check whether the iron levels are normal. You can take measures to increase your blood count during pregnancy by eating food rich in iron such as green leafy vegetables, eggs, meat, dried fruits, nuts and grains. Increasing the consumption of Vitamin C can help you to increase the absorption of iron in the body.

Content

Anemia during pregnancy is normal due to the increase in circulating blood plasma which makes the blood more diluted during pregnancy. Too high a blood count is as bad as too low a blood count during pregnancy so it is preferable for women to try and get iron from their regular diet along with a diet supplement if necessary. A high level of hemoglobin in pregnancy would help a woman to withstand hemorrhages however a low iron level implies a large circulating blood volume which can help you endure a given loss of blood. Iron tablet prescribed during pregnancy can cause constipation or pain in the stomach and should only be had if the iron levels are exceptionally low. Iron rich food should be included in the diet as the iron from such food is readily absorbed as compared to the iron from tablets. To hasten the absorption of iron you can have food rich in Vitamin C in combination with iron rich food such as lemon juice or anything sour. One should avoid tea and coffee as they hamper the absorption of iron in the body.

Conclusion

The recommended daily iron intake during pregnancy is 30 mg per day. A lack of iron in the diet can create a feeling of tiredness and lethargy whereas normal iron levels increase energy and resistance to infection. You must try and include the following iron rich food in your daily diet. These are namely lentils, baked beans, eggs, avocados, dried apricots, prunes, almonds, spinach, broccoli, soybeans, currents, rolled oats, wholegrain bread and breakfast cereals. A pregnant woman needs approximately 2500 calories per day and she must eat healthy food to provide the right nourishment and nutrition to her baby. A well balanced diet consisting of 10% proteins, 35% fat, and 55% carbohydrates is generally ideal which can help the iron levels to be maintained.