High-Risk Obstetrics

Obstetrics is concerned with managing pregnancy, labour and the the time after delivery. A

high risk pregnancy

 is one that threatens the health or life of the mother or her foetus. It often requires specialised care from specially trained providers. Some pregnancies become high risk as they progress, while some women are at increased risk for complications even before they get pregnant for a variety of reasons. These could include: young or old maternal age; being overweight or underweight; problems in previous pregnancies; and pre-existing health conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or HIV. Health problems can also develop during a pregnancy to make it high-risk. They include: multiple births,

Preeclampsia

, urinary protein and changes in blood levels of liver enzymes during pregnancy and

Gestational Diabetes

. Specially trained obstetricians provide support for these symptoms and conditions.