Hearing that your pregnancy is “high risk” can be worrying. The term describes a pregnancy that may need extra attention because of a health condition or a concern affecting you, your baby or both.
It helps to ask what the term means in your particular situation. Two people with higher-risk pregnancies may need very different care.
Conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes can affect pregnancy, even when they are well managed. Concerns can also develop during pregnancy. Your provider considers your health and pregnancy findings when deciding whether additional care is needed.
Depending on the concern, care may involve more frequent visits, additional tests, medication review or specialist consultation. Ask what is being monitored and how the findings will guide decisions.
A written list of your care team and each person’s role can be helpful, especially when more than one office is involved.
Bring relevant medical records, medication names and doses, previous pregnancy information and recent test results if available. Useful questions include:
Extra appointments and travel can be difficult to manage. Let your care team know what is getting in the way, and speak up if the plan is unclear. Keep urgent contact instructions somewhere easy to find, and follow the symptom guidance you receive rather than waiting for the next scheduled check-in.
No. The term means there is a greater chance of certain complications, not that a complication is inevitable. Ask which risk applies to you and what the care plan is intended to address.
A maternal-fetal medicine specialist is an obstetrician with additional training in complicated pregnancies. Ask whether a consultation would help and how it would fit with your ongoing prenatal care.
A high-risk designation alone does not determine how you will give birth. Delivery planning depends on the particular condition and how you and your baby are doing.
