High Risk Pregnancy Q & A

What is a high-risk pregnancy? Book Free Consultation

A pregnancy is deemed to be high-risk when there are complications that can potentially affect successful labor and birth. A high-risk pregnancy typically calls for special care and management in order to ensure a positive outcome for the mother and her baby. 

What causes a high-risk pregnancy?

A pregnancy can become high-risk for a number of reasons, including:

Age of the mother

The likelihood of miscarriage and genetic defects increases when the mother is younger than 17 or older than 40 when the baby is due. Pregnancies with a person of advanced maternal age are sometimes referred to as “geriatric pregnancies,” as ridiculous as this may sound. We do treat a lot of older moms in our clinic so don’t worry if you’re over 40 - you have come to the right place!

Pre-existing medical conditions

Certain medical conditions that the mother has before becoming pregnant can affect the likelihood of successful labor and birth, including:

• High blood pressure
• Problems with your lung, kidney, or heart
• Diabetes
• Autoimmune diseases
• Sexually transmitted diseases
• Chronic illnesses

Newly developed medical conditions

Medical conditions that you develop after getting pregnant can also make your pregnancy considered high-risk. Two of the most common conditions that occur during pregnancy are preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. 

Preeclampsia causes high blood pressure, swelling, and urinary protein. It can be very harmful if not treated, but is typically manageable with proper care.

Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that comes on during pregnancy and tends to go away after labor and birth. Like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes can be potentially harmful to a successful pregnancy but is entirely treatable.

Multiple births

With the increased use of infertility treatments, more mothers today are becoming pregnant with multiple births. Carrying twins, triplets, or more than one baby puts your pregnancy at higher risk of pregnancy-induced high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, and premature labor. 

Other medical conditions

Some other medical conditions that can affect the risk of a pregnancy or can stem from a high-risk pregnancy include PUPPS (pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy) and placenta previa.

PUPPS is an itchy rash that appears on the stretch marks of the stomach in the late stages of pregnancy and can be very uncomfortable.

Placenta previa is a condition that threatens the connection between the placenta and the uterine wall and happens when the placenta is too far down in the uterus, where it covers up the cervix.

What techniques help treat a high-risk pregnancy?

Mothers and parents that are in a compromised mental or physical state can seek guidance, treatment, and relief in many forms. The team of experts at PUSH San Diego can use acupuncture, moxibustion, and cupping therapy to help mothers through high-risk pregnancies, even providing assistance to mothers with conditions that have been labeled as terminal. 

Acupuncture has been proven to increase healthy blood flow to the uterus and fetus, and this in turn promotes your child’s healthy development and works to treat many conditions associated with high-risk pregnancies.

If you’re experiencing signs of a potential miscarriage, like spotting or the premature rupture of membranes, the team at PUSH San Diego can administer acupuncture and moxibustion treatments to help possibly prevent loss. PUSH San Diego even offers in-home visits for these services.

To learn more about how the experts at PUSH San Diego can use acupuncture to help you through your high-risk pregnancy, schedule a visit today by calling the office or booking online.