A pregnancy is referred to as high-risk if the mother or baby is at an increased risk for a health problem either during the pregnancy, during delivery, or following the birth. The diagnosis of high-risk pregnancy may be determined when reviewing medical history or during the ultrasound at 16–19 weeks gestation.
There are many things that can place an expectant mother at high risk, and though the term may sound scary, it is actually just a way for your pregnancy to be classified to make sure special attention is given to you throughout your pregnancy, during delivery and after the birth of your baby. Your obstetrician will be watching for any health problems that may surface in the early stages to ensure you have a successful delivery. With a high-risk pregnancy, closer monitoring will be needed, which may include more frequent visits with your primary caregiver, tests to monitor the medical problem, and/or blood tests.
In addition, some health problems can place you at high risk, such as:
If you have a medical condition, it's important to talk with your doctor before you decide to become pregnant. Your doctor can run tests, adjust medications, or discuss precautions you may need to take in order to ensure the health of you and your baby.
Most patients will see only one healthcare provider during pregnancy, either an obstetrician, a midwife, or a nurse practitioner. However, those patients who have a medical condition may need to also see a specialist in high-risk obstetrics, called a perinatologist who practices maternal-fetal medicine.
We recognize that childbirth is a major event in the lives of mothers and their families. The maternal fetal medicine staff at Summa Health is prepared to guide you through your pregnancy. We provide a multidisciplinary team, including maternal fetal medicine specialists, critical care specialist, cardiologist, pulmonary medicine, neurology and anesthesia to provide care and consultation 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Summa offers outstanding care for women from preconception through pregnancy and delivery to ensure best possible outcomes. We provide preconception consultation for women planning pregnancy who may have high-risk concerns. During pregnancy, we see women during consultations and share care with their primary obstetric provider. We strongly encourage all pregnant women to regularly consult with their primary obstetric provider throughout their pregnancy for optimal prenatal care.
Maternal fetal medicine care and consultation is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Many times, pregnant women require urgent care, but may not be in Akron when an emergency happens. For these women, we can arrange hospital-to-hospital transport to Summa Health.
Treatment of high-risk pregnancy will vary, dependent on the underlying condition and the stage of the pregnancy.
Summa offers the Obstetrical Ultrasound Unit, where routine and high-risk pregnancies are evaluated with special emphasis on suspected fetal abnormalities. The unit performs Level II ultrasound-guided procedures including amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and percutaneous umbilical blood sampling (PUBS), as well as fetal therapy such as in utero fetal transfusion.
Critical illness in pregnancy is uncommon but may arise from conditions unique to pregnancy, conditions exacerbated by pregnancy and coincidental conditions. The obstetric population has changed over the past decade and we are caring for older mothers with pre-existing disorders and advanced chronic medical conditions. It is therefore essential to adopt an early multidisciplinary approach for the care of these women.
A referral is required to see a maternal fetal medicine specialist. If you wish to schedule an appointment or referral, contact us online or call 330.319.9500.