High Risk Pregnancies: Choosing an Obstetrician that is Right for You

 

If you have been deemed a ‘high-risk’ pregnancy or are concerned about the risk of complications during the birth of your child, then you will want to find an obstetrician to deliver your baby rather than a midwife. While midwives are excellent in uncomplicated deliveries (perhaps better than some gynecologists!) high-risk pregnancies are a different matter. While complicated deliveries are relatively rare, they do occur, and certain features and characteristics of the mother increase the risk of complications.

 

 

These cases only represent a fraction of the births each year but a large proportion of the US population still seeks the skills of an obstetrician. Your insurance coverage will likely stipulate what kind of provider you are able to use and may require the use of a particular professional. If you suspect you have or will have a high risk pregnancy, you will need to find an obstetrician that specializes or has significant experience with high risk births. With malpractice insurance premiums at alarming rates, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find competent, trained high risk obstetricians to provide care in many regions of the country. Seeking out the services of a properly trained individual is key to making sure that one will be available to you at the time of delivery.

 

How do you know if you have a high risk pregnancy? Those who are very young and very old generally have an increased risk of complications. Also, if you have had a pregnancy with complications in the past, most likely all subsequent pregnancies will be considered high risk. Women with certain pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, advanced heart disease, certain autoimmune or endocrinological diseases and anyone with a longstanding medical illness are also at increased risk of a complicated pregnancy and delivery. The occurrence of pre-eclampsia or even eclampsia during pregnancy increases the risk considerably; however these usually only occur a later points of the pregnancy.

 

You can then interview prospective obstetricians to make sure you are completely happy with them and that you agree on key issues such as caesareans, what would happen in the case of a breech presentation and so forth. One thing you should ask is what would happen if your obstetrician was not available at the time of birth. Also ask about the obstetrician’s stance on inducing labor and if it can be done for convenience sake apart from absolute medical need. Physicians differ on this issue but it may become important as you are thinking about scheduling the precise day of birth. Knowing how your obstetrician will handle different circumstances will provide a glimpse of their philosophies regarding childbirth, their capacity to handle adversity and will provide you with peace of mind when it finally becomes time to give birth.

 

 

 

If you have been deemed a ‘high-risk’ pregnancy or are concerned about the risk of complications during the birth of your child, then you will want to find an obstetrician to deliver your baby rather than a midwife. While midwives are excellent in uncomplicated deliveries (perhaps better than some gynecologists!) high-risk pregnancies are a different matter. While complicated deliveries are relatively rare, they do occur, and certain features and characteristics of the mother increase the risk of complications.

 

These cases only represent a fraction of the births each year but a large proportion of the US population still seeks the skills of an obstetrician. Your insurance coverage will likely stipulate what kind of provider you are able to use and may require the use of a particular professional. If you suspect you have or will have a high risk pregnancy, you will need to find an obstetrician that specializes or has significant experience with high risk births. With malpractice insurance premiums at alarming rates, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find competent, trained high risk obstetricians to provide care in many regions of the country. Seeking out the services of a properly trained individual is key to making sure that one will be available to you at the time of delivery.

 

How do you know if you have a high risk pregnancy? Those who are very young and very old generally have an increased risk of complications. Also, if you have had a pregnancy with complications in the past, most likely all subsequent pregnancies will be considered high risk. Women with certain pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, advanced heart disease, certain autoimmune or endocrinological diseases and anyone with a longstanding medical illness are also at increased risk of a complicated pregnancy and delivery. The occurrence of pre-eclampsia or even eclampsia during pregnancy increases the risk considerably; however these usually only occur a later points of the pregnancy.

 

You can then interview prospective obstetricians to make sure you are completely happy with them and that you agree on key issues such as caesareans, what would happen in the case of a breech presentation and so forth. One thing you should ask is what would happen if your obstetrician was not available at the time of birth. Also ask about the obstetrician’s stance on inducing labor and if it can be done for convenience sake apart from absolute medical need. Physicians differ on this issue but it may become important as you are thinking about scheduling the precise day of birth. Knowing how your obstetrician will handle different circumstances will provide a glimpse of their philosophies regarding childbirth, their capacity to handle adversity and will provide you with peace of mind when it finally becomes time to give birth.