High-Risk Pregnancy
Peace of Mind for You and Your Baby
Your pregnancy is a very special time in your life, but sometimes women and babies need a little extra care. In the US, about 10-20% of pregnancies are considered high-risk and require extra treatment beyond routine care by your obstetrician. SSM Health maternal-fetal medicine experts offer specialized care for you and your baby in the event you experience complications during your pregnancy.
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Our team is here to provide specialized care for your newborn should it be necessary. Combining cutting-edge technology with cozy, private family rooms, we provide an ideal setting for connection and care—tailored to support our tiniest patients.
Women tend to have a window of time when it's easier on their body to grow a baby and give birth. It is possible to have a perfectly healthy pregnancy outside of this window of time.
What is Considered a High-Risk Pregnancy?
A pregnancy is considered high-risk if you or your baby have a condition that increases the risk of complications during or after your pregnancy and birth.
The care you and your baby may need depends on your pregnancy situation, and your treatment will be tailored specifically to your lifestyle. This can range from enhanced or more frequent monitoring to medication therapies and even open fetal surgery.
Risk factors that increase the risk of complications for babies:
- A genetic condition, such as Down syndrome or Cystic Fibrosis, is often identified during genetic testing in pregnancy.
- Fetal conditions identified during ultrasound anatomy scans. This can range from kidney to heart to lung problems. Our team of fetal and baby specialists at SSM Health is here to care for you and your baby's complex needs. We incorporate cutting-edge technology to diagnose, monitor, and treat your baby.
Factors that may put moms at risk include:
- Age: under 17 years of age or older than 35
- Pre-existing condition such as diabetes, hypertension, or obesity
- Taking certain medications
- Use of alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco or vaping
- Past history of miscarriages or pre-term pregnancies
- An infection (e.g., HIV, hepatitis C, chickenpox, rubella or syphilis)
- An unsafe home environment due to physical, emotional or sexual abuse
Certain conditions can also arise during pregnancy, causing complications that require a higher level of care, including:
- Pre-eclampsia: High blood pressure often developed during the second or third trimester of pregnancy that may lead to kidney and organ problems. Your provider will monitor your blood pressure, medications, and bloodwork to identify this potential complication throughout your pregnancy.
- Gestational diabetes: This is usually found during 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy through a glucose tolerance test(s). The test(s) measure your body's ability to process sugar and identifies how quickly it can be cleared from your bloodstream. Higher levels of glucose found in the blood indicate that the woman has difficulty processing the sugar and starches in food.
- Pre-term labor: Labor that begins before 37 weeks. If you experience any of these signs before the 37th week of pregnancy, call your healthcare provider right away.
- Change or increase in vaginal discharge (watery, mucas-like, or bloody)
- Pelvic or lower belly pressure
- Mild belly cramps (with or without diarrhea)
- Your water breaks in a trickle or a gush
- Regular or frequent contractions that occur 4 or more times in 1 hour (and may be painless)
- Positioning of baby in the womb
- Having twins or multiples
Expert Team Care
At SSM Health, we believe a multidisciplinary, team approach is the best way to care for your unique needs. That’s why our high-risk maternal-fetal medicine team is comprised of a range of experts, including:
- Board-certified obstetricians and gynecologists
- High-risk pregnancy doctors (perinatologists) and perinatal nurse practitioners
- Neonatologists who care for babies born prematurely or with serious illness
- Experienced NICU nursing staff
Our comprehensive team of specialists will assess, diagnose and treat your condition, giving your baby the best possible start in life. We provide the highest level of care, using the latest technology and treatments available, all in a comfortable, compassionate environment. Find a provider near you today to learn more.
SLUCare Physician Group maternal-fetal medicine physicians are leaders in delivering high-risk babies. As every expectant mother is different, we will tailor your care to fit your needs. Our team of experts can be used as a consultation resource for you and your primary obstetrician, we can take over as your primary obstetrician for the remainder of your pregnancy and delivery, or we can provide any combination of services in between.
AIUM Accreditation
SSM Health in Madison, Baraboo, and Janesville
Maternal Fetal Medicine in Madison, Janesville, and Baraboo, Wisconsin now have American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) accreditation. AIUM ultrasound practice accreditation allows practices to demonstrate that they meet or exceed nationally recognized standards in the performance and interpretation of diagnostic ultrasound examinations.
