Pregnancy is a time for happiness and celebration, but medically, it can cause a woman to be very vulnerable to complications. As a pregnant woman, your body is going through many changes, and those changes can sometimes be quite traumatic.
If you have a preexisting condition, or a condition brought on by pregnancy, your doctor may determine your pregnancy to be high-risk. This means you and your baby may be more susceptible to complications while pregnant or during and after delivery.
If you have been told your pregnancy is considered high-risk, you should ask your obstetrician to perform the following procedures and/or tests as precautionary measures:
These ultrasounds are different from ordinary ultrasounds because they focus on potential problems, and target those problems specifically.
Amniotic fluid is the fluid that surrounds and protects a fetus during pregnancy. During this test, a sample of the fluid is taken and analyzed to identify certain conditions, including neural tube defects (abnormalities of the brain and/or spinal cord.)
This procedure extracts cells from the placenta for analysis to identify genetic conditions.
To identify infections, blood disorders, and chromosomal conditions, this test takes a blood sample directly from the umbilical cord.
Checking the baby’s overall health, this test determines the fetal heart rate and takes an ultrasound of the fetus.
Tests, such as cervical length measurement and various lab tests, are taken to judge the probability of preterm labor.
The most important thing to remember when you have a high-risk pregnancy is that preparation is everything. It is very difficult to prevent complications if you have a preexisting condition. As such, it is imperative to be prepared and to have a doctor with the experience and knowledge necessary to keep you and your baby safe.
Because women with high-risk pregnancies are more susceptible to complications, they are also more susceptible to birth injury.
High-Risk pregnancies have been linked to the following birth injuries:
To protect your child from these birth injuries, make sure you ask your doctor a lot of questions. Request that these procedures and tests be performed, so you are fully prepared if complications arise.
If you experienced a high-risk pregnancy, and your child suffered birth injury as a result, you have to call me right away at 1 (800) 556-4769.
As your birth injury lawyer, I’ll be there for you, and I’ll Make Them Pay!®
Author: Tim Misny | For 33 years, personal injury lawyer Tim Misny has represented the injured victim in birth injury, medical malpractice, and catastrophic injury/wrongful death cases, serving “Cleveland, Akron/Canton, Columbus & Cincinnati, Ohio.” You can reach Tim by email at tmisny@misnylaw.com or call at 1 (800) 556-4769.
