High-Risk Pregnancy: Prevention & Ways To Tackle It

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A pregnancy is considered high risk when there are certain complications that could hamper the mother or baby, or both.

Meanwhile, health issues among the delivering mothers like pregnancy-induced hypertension, diabetes and anaemia are among the major causes that might put the delivering mothers and their babies at a higher risk.

These conditions are found to be high in the Asian subcontinent.

Also Read: Side Effects Of Scanning During Pregnancy

Pregnancy-induced hypertension occurs in 3% to 10% of the pregnancies and is a major cause of maternal mortality, pre-term birth and intrauterine growth restriction.

Hence, it requires close maternal and foetal evaluation. It is necessary to take advice from specialists. Since each pregnancy is unique, so the advice is tailored for each patient.

An anomaly scan done between 18 and 20 weeks of pregnancy helps in identifying structural abnormalities in the baby.

This is recommended for all pregnancy stages. I have a patient whose baby is diagnosed with a diaphragmatic hernia on ultrasound scan at 20 weeks of pregnancy.

This pregnancy requires management by specialists to ensure that both the mother and baby have the best outcome.

Above all, bringing about a change in the lifestyle and food habits is a must for those with high-risk pregnancies.

Eat Healthy: Taking care of the food that you eat, and in addition other supplementary diet like folic acid, calcium, iron, vitamins and other essential nutrients, is a must.

It is advisable to check with the doctor what other nutrients you should include if you have pregnancy-induced health issues like diabetes, hypertension, anaemia, etc.

Managing Body Weight: It is essential to check out for the weight you gain or lose. It is best to consult a doctor and get the correct details on body weight and the exercises that you could perform, which would be helpful for the baby's health as well as the mother's health.

Avoiding Smoke And Alcohol: It is best to keep yourself off from smoking and alcohol abuse.

Regular Pre-natal Care: Regular visit to the doctor and getting your health monitored would help in managing any further complications, in the general health of the mother as well as the baby. Special tests like amniocentesis may also be required if indicated.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.