What are the Factors Behind High Risk Pregnancies?

While most full-term pregnancies are safe, 15% of all pregnant women can still develop life threatening complications, according to an article by the National Center for Biotechnology Information. The good news is that special prenatal care of women with complex fetal conditions can avoid pregnancy loss or still birth. Chronic hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases could cause high risk pregnancy too.

So, if you are planning a child or are pregnant, here are a few risk factors you should be aware of.

Preeclampsia

During pregnancy, around 3%-7% women suffer from this syndrome. It usually starts in the 20^th week of gestation. Preeclampsia is prevalent in women who have hypertension, family history of multiple pregnancies, obesity or are pregnant for the first time. There is an increased in the urinary protein, proteinuria, along with high blood pressure and impaired liver enzyme levels in the blood. These are the obvious indicators of this condition.

Obesity

Sleep apnea is a common condition caused by obesity in pregnant women. An overweight mother tends to have a fetus that is larger than normal. Even after birth, she might have trouble losing weight. Gestational diabetes is another common condition that affects 5% of all pregnant women. When you put on excessive weight, there is an increased risk of structural abnormalities in the baby’s heart. It is important to understand your ideal BMI during pregnancy. This is particularly important because thin, average and healthy women will have different weight requirements.

Height
Did you know that shorter women have higher chances of delivering a baby preterm? Maternal height is an important factor in determining the gestational period, fetal environment and the weight of the baby. Any woman whose height is less than 5 feet is likely to have a smaller pelvis. This can cause trouble while the fetus tries to move out of the birth canal. Chances of having an underweight child are also high in shorter women.

Autoimmune Diseases

Two conditions that can affect pregnancy and labour are multiple sclerosis and lupus. Early labour and birth are common in women affected by lupus. On the other hand, basic bodily functions, like vision, hearing and balance, are impaired by multiple sclerosis. This can be quite risky, particularly during pregnancy. Medication used to manage the conditions could pose threats to the fetus. But with close attention, serious complications can be avoided.

HIV/AIDS

Any mother affected by the human immunodeficiency virus can pass the infection on to the baby. The baby can get infected while breastfeeding too. This means that their immune system can also get impaired, making the child prone to illnesses. In fact, this condition makes the body incapable of preventing the development of cancerous cells.

Diseases like chickenpox, syphilis and zika virus infection can also be dangerous, leading to a high risk pregnancy. In case, you have had a troublesome first pregnancy, chances of birth defects, miscarriages, post term delivery and premature baby are high. Regular consumption of tobacco, alcohol and drugs like cocaine increase the chances of a risky pregnancy. Make sure you take suitable precautionary measures before and throughout the pregnancy for a safe and healthy delivery.

About This Author

Shaheen Shaikh http://www.adrclinic.co.uk Joined: April 29th, 2018