High Risk Pregnancy

What is a high risk pregnancy?High risk pregnancyTrusted Source is any pregnancy that comes with increased health risks for either the pregnant parent, the fetus, or both.People who have high risk pregnancies may have underlying conditions that increase their risk, or they may have developed conditions during pregnancy that put them at high risk of complications.Getting early and consistent prenatal care increases the chances of a healthy pregnancy, despite being in a high risk category.High risk pregnancies aren’t very common, but they’re not rare either. There’s not much research on the subject, but the World Health Organization notes that they affect about 15% of pregnancies.At what age is pregnancy considered a risk?Your age may increaseTrusted Source your risk of pregnancy complications if you are either very young or over the age of 35.Teen pregnanciesBeing a teenager at the time of pregnancy increases the risk of complications for several reasons:Teens have a higher risk of experiencing high blood pressure and anemia during pregnancy.Teens are more likely to experience preterm labor (going into labor early).Teens are more likely to avoid seeking prenatal care and are more likely to miss doctors’ appointments.Teens are less likely to know they have a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and to seek proper care for it.Pregnancy over the age of 35Having a baby for the first time when you are over the age of 35 doesn’t automatically mean you will have a complicated pregnancy. Many parents in their mid-30s and beyond have healthy and problem-free pregnancies.However, it does increase your risk of certain complications, including:gestational diabeteshigh blood pressuremiscarriage or stillbirthectopic pregnancycesarean deliverygenetic disordersprolonged laborbirth complications