Explaining a High-Risk Pregnancy

High risk is just a medical term that obstetricians use to describe mothers who have a higher than average risk of having health problems during their pregnancy or birth, or of delivering a baby with problems. Common risk factors are insulin-dependent diabetes, high blood pressure, or signs of premature labor. This term only reflects a statistical probability that a problem may occur in your pregnancy or with your baby; it is not an absolute prediction, and you, in fact, may have no problems at all.

We prefer the term "high-responsibility" pregnancy. Our term means more than using specialized, more attentive medical care and a high-tech hospital; it implies that you must take greater responsibility for your own care and for your own birth decisions. Instead of resigning yourself to the high-risk label by becoming a passive patient and leaving all the birth decisions up to your doctor, become a high responsibility mother. Take an even more active part in the birth partnership. You need to be more informed, more responsible, and more involved in decision-making than the average mother, and you need to take better care of yourself.

The first question you should ask your doctor after you are classified as "high risk" is what specific things should you do to lower your risk.