In high risk pregnancy, both the pregnant woman and the unborn baby i.e. fetus are at risk of health related risks. Certain health problems and the age of the woman at the time of pregnancy (less than 17 years and more than 35 years) can also put the pregnancy at high risk. This type of pregnancy needs to be monitored carefully, so that the risk of any kind of risk can be reduced. Today in this article you will learn about the causes, symptoms and treatment of high risk pregnancy -
(Read more -How To Take Care During Pregnancy)
- What Is High Risk Pregnancy?
- Causes Of High Risk Pregnancy
- Symptoms Of High-risk Pregnancy
- Treatment Of High Risk Pregnancy
- Ways To Prevent High Risk Pregnancy
- Summary
What Is High Risk Pregnancy?
Every pregnancy is risky, but in high risk pregnancy, the risk remains for the baby growing in the womb and the pregnant woman. Women with high risk pregnancy need extra care during and after pregnancy. According to research, women who get pregnant after the age of 35 years are at greater risk than other women. This includes pregnancy-related health problems such as gestational diabetes, miscarriage in the early months of pregnancy, etc. On the other hand, getting pregnant at a young age i.e. below 17 years can lead to many risks, such as being anemic, premature birth, not getting proper prenatal care, sexually transmitted diseases and risk of infection.
(Read more - What is stillbirth?)
Causes Of High Risk Pregnancy
There can be many reasons for high risk pregnancy, such as already having a serious health problem, poor lifestyle and being too young or old. Let us know in detail about the causes of high risk pregnancy -
Any pre-existing health problem
Women who already have any health problem are at a higher risk of high risk pregnancy. These health problems are as follows -
- Autoimmune diseases, such as lupus or multiple sclerosis
- Covid-19
- Diabetes
- Fibroids
- High blood pressure
- HIV/AIDS
- Kidney disease
- Low body weight (BMI less than 18.5)
- Mental health disorders, such as depression
- Obesity
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Thyroid
- Blood clotting disorder etc.
(Read more -Every Mother Should Know : Pregnancy Problems)
Health problems during pregnancy
Problems related to pregnancy can also put the woman and the fetus at risk, such as -
- Any genetic disorder or birth defect in the fetus
- The fetus is not developing properly
- Gestational diabetes
- Pregnancy with more than one fetus, such as twins or triplets
- Pre-eclampsia and eclampsia
- Any problem during pregnancy or delivery in the past
(Read more - Recurrent Miscarriage)
Lifestyle
The risk of high risk pregnancy can also increase due to bad lifestyle, such as -
- Smoking
- Drug addiction
- Alcohol addiction
- Being in contact with certain toxins
(Read more -Should Probiotics Be Taken During Pregnancy?)
Age
The age of the woman can also put the pregnancy at risk. Age above 35 and age below 17 years has been kept in the category of high risk pregnancy. During this time, the woman may have problems with preeclampsia or high blood pressure.
(Read more - Benefits Of Watermelon For Pregnancy)
Low or high weight
Obesity causes many diseases like high blood pressure, preeclampsia and diabetes which puts pregnancy at high risk. Being underweight or underweight also increases the risk of neural tube defects and cesarean. According to research by NICHD, 15 percent of newborns may have heart problems and underweight problems at birth due to obesity in a pregnant woman.
(Read more - How to reduce body heat naturally during pregnancy)
Symptoms Of High-risk Pregnancy
There are many symptoms of high-risk pregnancy. If a pregnant woman experiences these symptoms, she should immediately consult a doctor -
- Prolonged abdominal pain
- Chest pain
- Dizziness or fainting
- Excessive fatigue
- Reduction or stoppage of fetal activity in the womb
- Fever above 100.4°F
- Anxiety
- Nausea or vomiting more severe than morning sickness
- Severe headache and increasing pain
- Swelling, redness and pain on the face and body parts
- Difficulty breathing
- Vaginal bleeding and discharge, etc.
(Read more -How many weeks is it safe to give birth?)
Treatment Of High Risk Pregnancy
When symptoms of high risk pregnancy are seen in a woman, then without delay one should start working on its treatment, which is as follows -
- Keep meeting your doctor regularly and keep getting checkups done.
- Keep taking whatever medicine the doctor gives regularly.
- It is important to get ultrasound done from time to time on the advice of the doctor and keep noting the activity of the fetus.
- Keep checking the blood pressure at home every day and note it down.
- Eat nutritious food on the advice of the doctor and consume less salt in case of high BP.
- In case of a condition like pre-eclampsia, the doctor may ask you to take maximum rest.
(Read more - Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS))
Ways To Prevent High Risk Pregnancy
To ensure that no woman has to face a high risk pregnancy during pregnancy, keep the following things in mind -
- Keep away from alcohol and smoking.
- Before getting pregnant, tell your doctor about your health problems and if anyone in the family has had any serious illness, then tell them about that too.
- Maintain a balanced weight.
- If you are taking any medicine, then tell the doctor about this too. According to your health, the doctor will tell you whether to continue taking this medicine or stop it.
- Always decide to get pregnant between 18 and 34 years.
(Read more - Is masturbation during pregnancy safe?)
Summary
Any pregnancy is risky, but high risk pregnancy occurs in some women. Especially in women under 17 years of age or women over 35 years of age. Apart from this, women suffering from any medical problem can also have a high risk pregnancy. Therefore, to avoid high risk pregnancy, one should constantly stay in touch with the doctor. Healthy lifestyle and weight should be maintained. Any medicine should be taken only on the instructions of the doctor. Also, in case of any problem, one should contact the doctor immediately.
Find Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in cities
- Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in Bangalore
- Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in Mumbai
- Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in Ghaziabad
- Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in Chennai
- Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in Pune
- Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in Delhi
- Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in Hyderabad
- Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in New Delhi
- Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in Gwalior
- Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in Gurgaon
Doctors for High-Risk Pregnancy: How to Ensure a Safe and Healthy Journey

Dr. Ayushi Gandhi
Obstetrics & Gynaecology
4 Years of Experience

Dr. Anjali
Obstetrics & Gynaecology
23 Years of Experience

Dr.Anuja Ojha
Obstetrics & Gynaecology
20 Years of Experience
