High-risk pregnancy
A high-risk pregnancy indicates that there is a higher likelihood of a disease or condition that may put you or your baby at risk. This may be because of an existing health condition, a multiple pregnancy or even your age.
Perinatologists in Summerville, South Carolina
If your pregnancy is considered high-risk, we focus on supporting the health and well-being of you and your baby.
At Trident Health, our compassionate specialists provide high-quality services, including prenatal testing and genetic counseling. Our Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) offers personalized support so you and your family can stay close to home while we care for your little one.
Related specialties
Learn more about our related specialties.
Advanced NICU services
At our NICU, board-certified neonatologists and neonatal nurse practitioners are available 24/7 to support premature or sick babies with a gestational age of 22 weeks and more. The comprehensive care team at our NICU includes nurses, surgeons, respiratory therapists, occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, radiologists, genetic counselors, registered dietitians, pediatric pharmacists and lactation consultants.
We also provide NicView, a technology that makes it easy for families to watch their newborn anytime, anywhere and on any electronic device through a 24/7 secure portal. We have six beds and seven Level II Special Care Nursery beds.
Comprehensive care for high-risk pregnancies
Pregnancy can be a joyful, exciting time for expectant parents. Some pregnancies are more complicated than others and require special care from perinatologists, who are physicians trained in maternal-fetal medicine (MFM). It's important to continue prenatal visits with your obstetrician (OB).
If you're pregnant and classified as high-risk, specialists at our Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinic are dedicated to providing you and your baby with the compassionate, expert attention needed to improve the chances of a healthy pregnancy and smooth delivery.
Our perinatologists can help you safely navigate your pregnancy if you're high risk. To learn more, please call (843) 970-5721.
Understanding high-risk pregnancies
Many factors can cause a pregnancy to be deemed high-risk. Although some factors are out of your control, others may be caused by existing conditions or issues that develop during your pregnancy and can be managed, or even prevented, with the right prenatal care. High-risk pregnancies can be caused by:
- Being 35 years old and older
- Being 17 years old and younger
- Being pregnant with multiples
- Being overweight or underweight
- Drinking alcohol, smoking or taking drugs before pregnancy
- Unmanaged mental illness
Additionally, high-risk pregnancies can be caused by existing medical conditions, including:
- Autoimmune diseases
- Blood disorders
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Kidney disease
- Thyroid diseases
Medical conditions that develop during pregnancy can also contribute to high-risk pregnancies. These include:
- Gestational diabetes
- Genetic fetal conditions
- Preeclampsia and eclampsia
- Zika infection
Our high-risk pregnancy services
The perinatologists at Summerville Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinic provide a wide range of services to our high-risk obstetric patients, expanding the outstanding care for moms and babies provided at our hospital as part of our patient-centered maternity and childbirth program. A referral from your obstetrician is required.
Prenatal testing
When you're pregnant, prenatal tests give you information about your and your baby's health. They help detect any problems affecting your baby, like birth abnormalities or genetic diseases.
Our perinatologists use screening results to help you make the best healthcare decisions before and after your child is born. Doctors often recommend prenatal tests for all pregnant women, but some women will need other tests to check for certain problems. Our team provides the following services:
- Amniocentesis
- Diabetes care, including gestational diabetes
- Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Management of multiple births
- Ultrasounds
Genetic counseling
Summerville Medical Center is one of the only facilities in the Charleston area with a team offering genetic counseling services. MFM genetic counselors help you understand how your genetic condition or potential for genetic disorders affects your pregnancy. Having a family history of genetic syndromes or a previous pregnancy with a genetic syndrome are factors that may cause high-risk pregnancies.
Our genetic counselors are certified by the American Board of Genetic Counseling. Our comprehensive program provides a personalized care plan for mothers throughout their pregnancy and delivery. We also offer genetic testing, including amniocentesis.
Gestational diabetes counseling
Gestational diabetes is one of the most common pregnancy complications, affecting approximately five to 10 percent of pregnant women. Gestational diabetes places pregnancies at risk for complications such as fetal growth problems, Cesarean delivery and metabolic abnormalities. After delivery, the mother usually will not continue to have diabetes. However, effectively optimizing blood sugar levels will decrease the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later.
Our maternal-fetal medicine physicians discuss this diagnosis with you, and our diabetes educator develops a plan of care to work with you to manage your blood sugars. Our clinic also offers education for prediabetes, Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes.
Our perinatal nurse navigators
Our perinatal nurse navigators provide support and education, developing a personalized care plan with a team of medical experts. They coordinate appointments with specialists, facilitating communication between you and your doctors and advocating for you and your baby's wellness.
Our perinatal nurse navigators provide you with the information you need to make educated decisions and help you focus on wellness during this exciting time. They are a consistent point of contact for families and physicians. Our navigators are available to help you cope with all of the variations in care, whether that is a change from a routine delivery or an anticipated NICU stay for the baby.
No matter what condition you may be facing, we hope to alleviate many of your concerns. We fully commit to a high-quality, family-centered pregnancy and delivery for you and your baby.
For more information or to be referred to our perinatal navigator, please call (843) 970-5727.
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