What are the causes of an at-risk pregnancy?
The classification of a pregnancy as high or low risk is a multifactorial issue. There are several situations that lead us to consider them as risk factors in a pregnant woman, and they can be diverse:
- Previous medical pathology of the patient
- Patient’s BMI
- Patient’s age
- Obstetric pathology developed during gestation.
- Surgical history
The most important thing is to take a good medical history on the first day of the visit and update it depending on whether or not obstetric complications appear during gestation.
What should I do if I have an at-risk pregnancy?
First of all, be calm and trust the team of professionals who will attend you. It is important to have a two-way dialogue with your gynecologist, so that you can understand the reasons that have led your pregnancy to be considered a high-risk pregnancy and see if there are modifiable factors on your part (modification of dietary habits, optimization of physical activity, etc.).
My advice is that you choose a center to monitor your pregnancy where there are professionals specialized in maternal-fetal medicine and high-risk obstetrics, and that you follow the guidelines they give you.
What profile of woman is more likely to suffer a high-risk pregnancy?
Women with previous medical pathology, with high BMI, with previous gynecological surgeries or with ages over 40 years old.
Also those who have a twin pregnancy or who have an unfavorable obstetric history, such as a previous preterm delivery or obstetric pathology in previous pregnancies (diabetes, preeclampsia, gestational intrahepatic cholestasis…).
How to prevent and treat a risky pregnancy?
Much will depend on the reasons for which the pregnancy is considered to be at risk. If it is considered at risk due to maternal factors prior to pregnancy, such as obesity and/or medical pathology, the ideal is that the pregnant woman should have an adequate management of these pathologies and strict controls of her weight gain, diet and lifestyle.
If the factors are immovable, such as age over 40 years or previous uterine surgeries, the steps to follow will be in line with a healthy lifestyle, a balanced diet and adequate exercise.
If risk factors have arisen during pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes or preeclampsia, the treatment will be individualized according to different factors.
The important thing is that the pregnant woman is aware of these risks and knows what she can do to minimize them, after a trusting dialogue with her gynecologist.