31 pregnancy risk factors to discuss with your doctor
Taking a few precautions during your pregnancy can help to ensure the safe delivery of your baby. Here are some common pregnancy risk factors to discuss with your doctor
Source: Excerpted from the Women’s Health Encyclopedia
The following factors should be discussed with your doctor. Remember that over 97 percent of pregnancies result in the safe delivery of a healthy baby. If you attend the early prenatal care appointments, your health care team can identify and address any pregnancy risk factors, such as:
‘ Age: are you younger than 18 or over 35 years?
‘ Have four or more children
‘ IUD in place
‘ Vaginal bleeding after last period
‘ Previous stillbirth or neonatal death
‘ Previous Cesarean delivery or myomectomy
‘ Previous small’under 5 lb. (2.25 kg) or large’over 8 lb (3.6 kg) baby
‘ Previous preterm delivery (before 37 weeks)
‘ Two or more miscarriages before existing pregnancy
‘ History of premature labour, cervical stitch (called cerclage), late miscarriage or abortion, or two or more abortions
‘ Congenital abnormality in previous baby
‘ Antibodies in your blood that could harm the fetus
‘ Preeclampsia, hypertension, proteinuria in a previous pregnancy
‘ Severe bleeding after giving birth or removal of placenta in previous pregnancy
‘ History of short labour (under 2 hours) or long labour (over 18 hours)
‘ Postpartum depression after birth of previous baby
‘ Uterine problem such as fibroids or cysts
‘ Blood disorder
‘ Family history of diabetes or congenital fetal abormality
‘ Smoking
‘ Drinking 2 or more units of alcohol a day prior to pregnancy
‘ Inability to stop drinking while pregnant
‘ Illegal drug taking by either parent
‘ Several different sexual partners, anal intercourse, bisexual partner
‘ Hepatitis B, HIV, AIDS
‘ High blood pressure (over 140/90 mmHg, after you have been lying down for 5 minutes)
‘ Over- or under-weight or less than 5 ft. (1.5 m) tall
‘ Protein in urine or other kidney or liver disease
‘ Heart murmur
‘ Pelvic or abdominal abnormalities
‘ Vaginal bleeding late in prior pregnancy
If you’re concerned about risks during pregnancy, check out these 12 steps to your healthiest pregnancy.