Pregnancy affects a woman’s body in a variety of ways. Far beyond just nausea and morning sickness at the beginning or the constant mood swings that this stage can cause, you notice needs that your body was not used to. There’s nothing surprising—after all, you are creating a new life.
All these changes demand care that wasn’t previously necessary, along with a significant shift in habits. Even though each body shows changes in its own way, there are some situations where care in pregnancy must be doubled.
For various reasons, there are certain groups of women who need to be even more attentive to their bodies when planning to get pregnant; these are the so-called high-risk pregnancy groups. This type of pregnancy generally occurs when the health of the mother or baby is at risk.
The severity of these risks can vary according to each person’s condition, but everyone should always be aware of the problems a high-risk pregnancy can cause and know how to avoid them.
When it comes to taking care of your health, we often hear the expression “each case is unique,” which also applies to high-risk pregnancy. Although the risks can be classified by severity, you need specialized care so your situation is managed as accurately as possible.
Main At-Risk Groups
Some of the main groups at risk for high-risk pregnancy are:
- Women of advanced age or very young women
- Women with certain illnesses
- RH factor
As these are the primary high-risk pregnancy groups, let’s talk a bit more in depth about each of them and how to prevent major problems.
The Problem of Age
The female body goes through several stages in life. At first, it prepares itself slowly to become able to reproduce, and as time goes on, it also prepares to gradually shut down the reproductive system.
The main issue with getting pregnant before or after the period considered ideal for reproduction is that your body may not be fully prepared to carry a baby. That’s where complications can arise.
Getting Pregnant Over 35
For many reasons, a lot of women end up getting pregnant later in life—whether they weren’t able to before, didn’t have the means to raise a child earlier, or even by accident. Whatever the reason, pregnancy after age 35 requires certain precautions.
To avoid major problems with a high-risk pregnancy, it’s recommended that women who decide to conceive after 35 see their doctor even before conception to ensure they are healthy and prepared, avoiding any unpleasant surprises. In general, with proper medical supervision, most women do not experience major problems.
Getting Pregnant Under 16
Unlike older women, those who become pregnant too early may catch their bodies off guard and not be fully ready to carry a baby. Since early pregnancy is usually unplanned, it’s not possible to see a doctor prior to conception, but as soon as you find out you’re pregnant, seeing a doctor is highly recommended.
Diseases That Can Affect Pregnancy
When a woman has a pre-existing illness, she may encounter complications during pregnancy. Not all diseases are dangerous to the baby, but a mother must be aware that her own health is important too and can be impacted during pregnancy.
Diseases You Can Acquire During Pregnancy
Several diseases should also be avoided during pregnancy to ensure a healthy pregnancy. Women with illnesses like candidiasis, Zika, depression, rubella, among others, may be affected and affect their babies. To prevent serious problems and this type of high-risk pregnancy, try to have as many tests as possible before getting pregnant.
Pre-Existing Diseases That Affect Pregnancy
Some of the most dangerous diseases for pregnancy are STDs, herpes, AIDS, and hepatitis B. When a woman carries any of these diseases, baby care must be heightened because even though the baby usually is not born infected, their immune system may be compromised.
The RH Factor
Your RH factor is usually discovered at the beginning of prenatal care. While simply having an RH factor isn’t directly harmful to you, it can conflict with the baby’s RH type. That’s because people with RH positive blood have the D antigen, a protein found on red blood cells.
If you are RH negative and your child is positive, and your blood comes into contact for some reason, your immune system could perceive the baby as a foreign body (like a bacteria) and act to eliminate it.
The condition known as hemolytic disease of the newborn (erythroblastosis fetalis) can even result in miscarriage, which is obviously a major concern. However, once again, proper medical care can prevent serious problems even in this type of high-risk pregnancy.
Of course, these are just the most common high-risk pregnancy groups; there are many other factors that could contribute to pregnancy complications, such as smoking, obesity, or being very short.
Nevertheless, many women are unaware that their pregnancy is high risk or don’t notice signs, which can be very dangerous. For this reason, it’s recommended to have close medical supervision from the start of pregnancy to make sure everything is progressing calmly.
ATTENTION: Women who smoke or have problems with alcohol must be very careful to ensure a healthy pregnancy.
Going through pregnancy is perhaps the deepest experience in a woman’s life, and so care and concerns tend to increase considerably. Even if you are afraid, women who are part of a risk group do not have to deny themselves this experience.
It is possible to have a healthy pregnancy even within a risk group. Of course, you’ll need to pay close attention to every detail and not let your guard down at any moment, but it’s nothing impossible or too difficult.
The process for your child’s birth to occur smoothly may be painful at times, but it’s surely worth it when you realize that in your hands is the result of so much effort and sacrifice.
Important Tip: All pregnant women should be aware that supplementation is needed for the baby to be generated healthily. Folic acid is important, but nowadays doctors recommend using Methylfolate, its active form. Methylfolate should be used from the moment the woman discovers she is pregnant, especially if she is over 35.
See also: Pregnancy After Miscarriage – When to Try Again?
Photo: trestletech
