Pregnant mothers require prenatal care to help manage risks that might arise before and during birth. It often involves regular checkups to monitor the physical conditions of both mother and fetus. During these routine visits, doctors might already detect alarming issues related to the pregnancy.
Ideally, they can refer you to the proper practitioners who focus on high-risk pregnancies, called maternal-fetal medicine specialists. These doctors typically handle complex cases with high chances of complications later in the pregnancy or during labor. Doctors might suggest this option to you because of the following issues:
- The fetus is abnormally small
- Incorrect position of the placenta
- Your physical condition, often related to age and other chronic issues
- The fetus is not showing enough activity
- Symptoms pointing to preeclampsia
- Vaginal bleeding at any time during the pregnancy
- Medical history of pregnancy or delivery complications
By learning about these problems early, you can work with your doctor to control risks and reduce complications during delivery. Additionally, you can already speak to your doctor about your options once you go into labor, determining the safest way to give birth while considering your and your baby’s welfare.
Diagnosing high-risk pregnancies
Doctors follow a specific procedure when handling pregnancies, allowing them to determine if there are high risks impacting the mother and child’s safety. They might only catch these illnesses and other prenatal conditions by maintaining medical standards.
It could be medical malpractice if they negligently misdiagnose or ignore these pregnancy risks. Health care providers can also make mistakes, potentially endangering you and your child. If they do so, you could take legal action against them to make them accountable for their negligence.