Pregnancy is generally a happy time for most women. However, there are some who are at high risk. This means there are specific health risks, either pre-existing or those that develop during the pregnancy, that threaten the development of the baby or health of the baby and mother. Knowing these risks ahead of time can help you either prevent them or prepare ahead of time for them.
Age
Merck states that a woman's age can cause a pregnancy to become high-risk. The risks vary according to the age of the girl or woman who is pregnant.
For instance, girls aged 15 and younger are at a greater risk for developing conditions such as preeclampsia and anemia. These girls are also at a greater risk for delivering their babies too soon. Their babies are also more likely to be underweight or anemic as well.
Women who are age 35 or over are at a greater risk for high blood pressure, developing gestational diabetes, giving birth to a baby with chromosomal abnormalities such as Down's Syndrome and having a child who is stillborn.
Abnormalities with Reproductive Organs
Reproductive abnormalities can include a double uterus or a uterus that is too weak to hold the fetus, resulting in dilation (opening) of the cervix while the fetus is still growing. These can all result in miscarriage, having a difficult labor and delivery, or requiring a cesarean section due to the fetus being in an abnormal position.
Weight and Height
A woman's weight and height both play a large role in the development of a high-risk pregnancy. If a woman weighs less than 100 pounds, she is more likely to give birth to underweight babies; obese women are more likely to give birth to larger babies, making labor and delivery more difficult for them. Additionally, obese women are at a higher risk for developing gestational diabetes and high blood pressure.
Shorter women, according to Merck, are likely to have a smaller pelvis, which makes it more difficult for the baby to move through the pelvis and birth canal during labor. Preterm labor is another complication commonly seen among shorter women, typically those who are under five feet tall.
Preeclampsia
A condition that turns a normal pregnancy into one that is considered high-risk, preeclampsia develops as a result of high blood pressure, too much protein in the urine and fluctuations of liver enzymes in the mother's blood during the pregnancy. While certain women are at higher risk for developing this condition, it can affect anyone.
If detected and treated early enough, the prognosis for both mother and baby is generally positive; the baby is delivered healthy and the mother is not in any real danger. However when ignored and left untreated, both mother and baby can suffer long-term health problems or die as a result.
HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS damages the body's immune system, making it progressively harder for the body to fight infections as time passes. HIV is considered the beginning of the disease, while AIDS is its more advanced stage. A mother with either of these conditions is considered a high-risk pregnancy because it is possible for her to spread the disease to her unborn child during labor and delivery. One way to prevent this is to undergo a C-section rather than have a vaginal birth. Doing this prevents the baby from coming into contact with any fluid from the mother. Another means of reducing the risk for the baby is to use infant formula (bottle feeding) rather than breast feed.
