High-risk pregnancies are not uncommon, and most women undergo severe conditions before and during conception and post-childbirth. Many risk factors are directly intertwined with the mother’s health and sedentary lifestyle. But a high-risk pregnancy need not be fatal, even though the chances remain high. Fetal treatment during pregnancy can ward off any potential risk and threat to the life of the mother and the unborn child. On rare occasions, doctors might recommend an early termination in case their lives are at plausible risk. However, these facts need not worry you because fetal medicine specialists in Hyderabad and different parts of the country will offer the required medication, treatment, and self-care, ensuring your pregnancy is good and safe.
Underlying The Role of a Fetal Medicine Specialist
Pregnancy is a life-changing period for young would-be mothers. However, health risks are high in some instances, often resulting in death. Doctors are frequently challenged with difficult decisions like choosing between saving either the mother or the unborn child. Statistics say that a woman dies every two minutes due to pregnancy or childbirth. Tragically, this experience can be shockingly dangerous for millions around the world, primarily due to a lack of adequate and timely support and healthcare.
Thankfully, science has made tremendous advances in healthcare and medicine over the years. Despite setbacks, surgeons can ward off obstacles and help sustain the lives of mothers and their newborns.
Fetal treatment during pregnancy is one such example where research has shown fetal survival rates of 30-80%. This statistic is profound given the history of troubled and high-risk pregnancies, with high death rates compared to survival chances.
Fetal treatment during pregnancy is often considered a boon-in-disguise for mothers. Maternal-fetal medicine, or perinatology, concentrates on addressing health issues for both the mother and fetus before, during, and shortly after pregnancy. Specialists in this field are physicians who specialize within the broader realm of obstetrics.
A maternal-fetal medicine specialist is an obstetrician-gynecologist who undergoes extended education, experience, and training in the medical and surgical complexities of pregnancy, involving a 4-year residency and a 3-year fellowship program leading to board certification. These specialists serve as consultants for obstetricians, family practitioners, and nurse-midwives. They offer direct patient care, including preconception counseling, antenatal supervision, and intrapartum or postpartum management.
When to Refer a Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist?
Not all pregnancy is high risk and possibly does not require fetal treatment. However, some conditions require immediate attention from experts and specialists. A maternal-fetal medicine specialist can improve pregnancy outcomes in the following scenarios:
- When a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure is necessary due to the risk of fetal chromosomal abnormalities.
- In cases where the mother is healthy, but the fetus is at high risk, such as multiple pregnancies, incompetent cervix, or a history of complications during a previous delivery.
- When an antepartum patient is admitted for reasons other than delivery or when a postpartum patient experience complication.
- When an expectant mother has a known medical or surgical condition.
Pre-existing medical conditions and genetic anomalies are two other instances demanding fetal treatment.
Pre-existing Medical Conditions
Pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes, lupus, renal disease, and hypertension require careful monitoring during pregnancy. A maternal-fetal medicine specialist may adjust medications to safeguard your health and future pregnancies. For diabetes, optimizing blood sugar control before conception helps minimize fetal anomalies. If dealing with obesity, a specialist can discuss the advantages of weight loss, reducing risks of conditions like hypertension and gestational diabetes in pregnancy.
Genetic Risks in Parents
Advancements in technology have made preconception genetic screening more prevalent. If there’s a family history of a disease or if you’re part of an ethnicity with a higher risk (e.g., sickle cell or Tay-Sachs), screening assesses you and your partner’s carrier risk. Common genetic conditions like cystic fibrosis or spinal muscular atrophy can be screened through a blood test.
Genetic Syndrome in Children
If your child has a genetic disorder, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist can offer counseling and management to assess its potential impact on future pregnancies. Consult your healthcare provider for personalized advice on what’s best for you and your pregnancy.
These conditions and many others call for an immediate recommendation from a fetal medicine specialist in Hyderabad.
Other Health Conditions Leading to High-Risk Pregnancy
The listed conditions are common factors that may contribute to a high-risk pregnancy, although it’s essential to recognize that not every woman with these conditions will necessarily experience a high-risk pregnancy.
Diabetes
If you have pre-existing diabetes before pregnancy, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist will monitor and manage your condition, providing preconception counseling. For gestational diabetes, your obstetric provider may handle care, but if a specialist is consulted, they’ll oversee your baby’s growth, well-being, and manage your health with nutrition counseling, glucose monitoring, and potential medications.
Pre-eclampsia
Pre-eclampsia, exclusive to pregnancy, manifests as elevated blood pressure, protein in urine, and skin swelling (edema). Severe cases with liver or platelet abnormalities may warrant referral to a maternal-fetal medicine specialist, particularly if the condition is severe or if preterm delivery is anticipated.
Hypertension
For those with pre-existing hypertension, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist monitors the baby’s growth and intervenes if issues arise. It’s essential to note that certain hypertension medications used outside of pregnancy are not recommended during pregnancy.
Multiples
Multiple pregnancies, particularly twins or higher-order multiples, pose an elevated risk of complications. Women’s health issues face increased chances of pre-eclampsia and preterm labor. Twins, especially if sharing a placenta, have heightened risks of fetal anomalies and growth issues. Maternal-fetal medicine specialists closely monitor such pregnancies with additional ultrasounds, advising on the delivery method and timing for the best outcome.
Obesity
Obese women face increased risks of diabetes, hypertension, and pre-eclampsia in pregnancy. Maternal-fetal medicine specialists advocate for weight loss before pregnancy, emphasizing the unique opportunity to address obesity, a modifiable health condition, through healthy strategies.
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
Normally, your obstetric provider can address sexually transmitted diseases during pregnancy, including pre-existing ones like herpes. However, in specific instances, consultation with a maternal-fetal medicine specialist may be necessary. For conditions like syphilis, if an ultrasound indicates potential fetal impact, specialized care and management from a maternal-fetal medicine specialist are recommended. Women with HIV typically receive comprehensive care from these specialists due to the complexity of medication regimens.
The Final Takeaway
As stated before, high-risk pregnancies are not unheard of. However, one shouldn’t panic when faced with such uncertainties and trust in the medical expertise of your recommended doctors and specialists. With advances made in modern science and medicine, treatments like maternal-fetal medicine can address the situation and ensure the whole experience is smooth and frictionless both for the parents and the newborn. Refer to the best fetal medicine specialist in Hyderabad or near your city and get treated to enjoy a blissful pregnancy experience.