Pregnancy Care Specialist

What Is a High-Risk Pregnancy?

A pregnancy is considered high risk if the mother experiences any health abnormalities that may affect her ability to carry the child to term. Gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, past history of miscarriages, abnormal bleeding or discharge, or any other type of condition that affects the mother's health can put the baby's life at risk as well. Women who experience some type of trauma during their pregnancy that caused injury to the fetus may result in a high-risk pregnancy that causes the mother to be put on bed rest. These types of situations call for regular monitoring by the doctor, either in a hospital setting or through scheduled visits to the office.

How Often Should a Woman See Her Doctor During Pregnancy?

Most doctors ask their pregnant patients to adhere to regular visits that are scheduled on a monthly basis. When the mother enters the eighth month, the visits are scheduled every two weeks. During the last month, the doctor may increase it to one visit a week. Regularly scheduled visits help the doctor keep track of how well the fetus is keeping up with the normal standards. An ultrasound is normally performed between the 24th and 36th week to make sure everything is going smoothly and reveal the gender of the baby if the parents would like to know. OB/GYNs often provide their patients with a cell phone number where they can be reached if an emergency occurs.

What Happens During an OB/GYN Checkup?

A regular OB/GYN checkup involves the nurse collecting the patient's vitals and then discussing any potential problems they may be having. During the checkup, the doctor will perform a Pap smear, perform a manual breast exam, and also palpate the abdomen to feel for any abnormalities in or near the uterus and ovaries. An STD screening may be performed and the doctor will discuss scheduling a mammogram. If the patient has any health concerns, she should ask the doctor at that time. The doctor will also ask about contraceptives. If the woman is pregnant, the doctor will evaluate her pregnancy to determine if everything is progressing according to schedule.