High risk pregnancies

High risk pregnancy is that pregnancy in which either the mother or the fetus are at greater risk than during a normal pregnancy.

The most common and serious factors that characterize a pregnancy as a high risk pregnancy are:

  • Pregnant women under the age of 17 or over 43 years of age.

  • Pregnant women with history of recurrent abortions, premature births, endometrial fetal deaths, congenital abnormalities of fetuses and neonatal deaths.

  • Pregnancies associated with pathological conditions that pre-existed or appeared in pregnancy, such as diabetes mellitus, anemia, heart disease, hypertension, Rhesus sensitization, maternal-embryo ABO incompatibility, pyelonephritis, syphilis, toxoplasmosis, inflammation of the urogenital system, endocrine disorders.

  • Pregnancies with concomitant cancer

  • Pre-eclampsia and/or hypertension.

  • Placenta previa and other forms of abnormal placentation.

  • Twin or multiple pregnancies

  • Premature rupture of the membranes

  • IUGR (pregnancies with Intra-uterin Growth Restriction)

  • Pregnancies associated with congenital uterine or vaginal abnormalities.

  • Previous cesarean sections or other uterine operations.

  • Cervical insufficiency

  • Family history of genetic anomalies

The above conditions appear in 14% of all pregnant women but are responsible for 50% of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality and for 60% of caesarean section. These pregnancies should be closely monitored and the gynecologist should be in close contact with both the woman and the doctor who performs the obstetrical ultrasound and the pediatrician.