Becoming pregnant can be a joyous occasion in a woman’s life. And while most pregnancies progress without incident, more and more are becoming high risk.

A high-risk pregnancy is any pregnancy where there could be health problems for mother or baby. And while the term “high risk” sounds scary, it simply means that extra special attention must be paid to both. Certain health factors can increase a mother’s chance of having a high-risk pregnancy, including:

• Diabetes
• Cancer
• High Blood pressure
• Kidney Disease
• Epilepsy

In addition, your pregnancy may be high risk if:

• you are under 17 or over 35 years old
• you are a smoker
• you use alcohol in excess
• you use illegal drugs
• you are having a multiple pregnancy (twin, triplets, etc)
• you have had three or more miscarriages
• your baby has been found to have a genetic condition
• you have an infection such as HIV or Hepatitis-C
• you are taking certain medications, such as lithium, phenytoin (such as Dilantin), valproic acid (Depakene), or carbamazepine (such as Tegretol)
• in a previous pregnancy, your baby was born with a genetic condition such as Down Syndrome, you had seizures or pre-term labor

If any of these factors apply to you, you will have more appointments with your obstetritian than most expecting mothers. Additionally, certain tests and medications may be administered to ensure your health and the health of your baby.

The UAB Center for Obstetrics has highly-trained doctors and medical professionals geared toward providing you with the best possible care for a high-risk pregnancy.