High Risk Pregnancy

A high-risk pregnancy is a pregnancy that involves increased health risks for the pregnant person, fetus or both. High blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, epilepsy, thyroid disease, heart or blood disorders, poorly controlled asthma, and infections can increase pregnancy risks. Pregnancy complications. Various complications that develop during pregnancy can pose risks.

A high-risk pregnancy is one in which a woman and her fetus face a higher-than-normal chance of experiencing problems. These risks may be due to factors in the pregnancy itself, or they may stem from preexisting maternal medical conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, or lupus.

Prenatal care for your high-risk pregnancy may include these tests: Genetic amniocentesis: Performed between the 14th and 18th week of pregnancy to obtain a sample of amniotic fluid, which is used to test for chromosomal abnormalities and neural tube defects.