Procedure

High Risk Pregnancy Consultation- Obstetrics and Gynecology

A high-risk pregnancy can put you or your baby in a problem. The problem may occur before, during, or after pregnancy. High-risk pregnancy consultation can promote a healthy pregnancy in such cases.

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, a high-risk pregnancy often requires specialized care from a team of specially trained providers. For example, an MFM specialist, an OB/GYN, and medical-surgical specialists.

Besides, the team may comprise a neonatologist, an obstetric nurse, a critical care nurse, and others.

High-risk pregnancy consultation involves a routine visit to the members of the specialized care team. During the visit, the members discuss your situation. Then, they design a treatment plan to lower the risk of harm to your and the baby.

Tests for High-Risk Pregnancy

If you have a high-risk pregnancy, you may need several tests in addition to the routine screening tests.

Depending on the conditions of the mother and the baby, the providers can order:

Targeted ultrasound

Targeted ultrasound produces moving images of the fetus. It uses sound waves to create those images. As the name suggests, the test focuses on a specific problem of the baby.

Amniocentesis

This test analyzes the amniotic fluid. The amniotic fluid is a clear liquid that surrounds the fetus in the womb. Doctors withdraw the fluid from the uterus, usually after week 15 of pregnancy. Amniocentesis helps identify genetic conditions and defects of the baby’s brain and spinal cord.

Chorionic villus sampling (CVS)

Like amniocentesis, CVS is useful in identifying some genetic conditions. Usually, the test is performed between 10th and 12th week of pregnancy.

Cordocentesis (Percutaneous umbilical blood sampling)

This test analyzes the baby’s blood obtained from the umbilical cord. The results of the test can help identify genetic disorders, infections, and blood disorders.

Lab tests

The samples from the mother are tested for infections such as HIV, syphilis, and others.

Sources:

  • https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/pregnancy/conditioninfo/high-risk
  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15145361

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About the Author:
Shailesh Sharma is a registered pharmacist and medical content writer from Nepal. He enjoys digging into latest findings of research and strongly believes in evidence-based health information. He graduated from Pokhara University School of Health and Allied Sciences and was engaged in clinical pharmacy and academia in various regions of Nepal for almost 9 years. Shailesh also serves as Project Manager of Graduate Pharmacists’ Association, Nepal (GPAN).