What is a High Risk Pregnancy?

If you have been told that your pregnancy is high risk, you may be feeling anxious and overwhelmed. Don’t worry, you are not alone. About four percent of live births in the United States were to mothers under the age of 20, and 50 percent were to women over 30, both high risk categories, so it’s clear that many high-risk pregnancies result in healthy babies. If your pregnancy is classified as high risk, it just means that you and your baby needs some extra care.

What Defines a High Risk Pregnancy? Age? Or is it More Than That?

Age is a significant factor in high-risk pregnancy. What age is a high-risk pregnancy? Being younger than 17 or older than 35 puts a woman into the high risk category. However, age is not the only thing that comes into play when dealing with high risk pregnancy. Lifestyle, genetics, and medical conditions are all involved.

A pregnant woman consults with a doctor about managing high-risk pregnancy in San Diego, CA

List of High-Risk Pregnancy Conditions

What are some of the conditions that create a high risk pregnancy?

Being overweight or obese
Having sedentary lifestyle
Eating a nutritionally deficient diet
Preexisting conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes
Infections like HIV, Hepatitis C, or Rubella
Developing pregnancy-related health conditions like gestational diabetes or preeclampsia
Using alcohol, tobacco, or illicit substances
Difficulties with a past pregnancy
Being pregnant with multiples
A birth defect detected in the baby

Steps You Can Take for a Safer Pregnancy

Some of the risk factors listed above are beyond your control. However, you can be proactive in making your pregnancy as healthy and safe as possible for yourself and your baby. Seek prenatal care early in the pregnancy, and protect your health by practicing good habits.

Exercise regularly. Discuss your exercise routine with your doctor, but women can generally stay active throughout their pregnancies.
Eat a nutrient–dense diet. Pack your diet with fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and small amounts of healthy fat.
Don’t smoke. If you do smoke, talk to your doctor about how to quit.
Take care of your health. Pay attention to any health conditions you may have, like high blood pressure, to keep them under control.
Take prenatal vitamins. These are specially formulated to help your baby develop properly.

Treatment and Care for High Risk Pregnancy

In some cases, a woman with a high-risk pregnancy will be referred to a high-risk OBGYN. Some pregnancies, however, simply require more visits with a health care provider. A high-risk pregnancy appointments timeline will be more involved than that of a typical pregnancy, so that the doctors can help manage the risk factors, treat any track the progress of the pregnancy. With careful monitoring, a high-risk pregnancy can be completed successfully, with a healthy baby and mom as the end result.

Visit Advanced Functional Medicine for Comprehensive Women’s Healthcare

From fertility to pregnancy to breastfeeding to menopause, and beyond, Advanced Functional Medicine, provides integrated, holistic care for women’s bodies and minds. We offer solutions for female reproductive health and beyond, caring for women’s minds and bodies instead of simply treating symptoms. Our whole body approach to medicine utilizes all-natural, researched-based nutritional approaches to optimize the body’s natural healing abilities, rather than just using medication to treat symptoms. While women often face challenges when seeking healthcare, we emphasize the entire mind and body, offering complete care for females. No matter where you are in your reproductive journey, we will provide you with the comprehensive care you need to thrive. To schedule an appointment or learn more about how we can help restore your health and strengthen your body’s unique physiological functions, call 858-500-5572 or contact us through our website.