Every pregnant couple looks forward to the birth of a healthy newborn. For the great majority of women, pregnancy follows a fairly routine course. However, some women may have medical difficulties and challenges related to their health or the health of their fetus during their nine months of pregnancy. These women experience what is called a “high-risk” pregnancy.
High-risk complications of pregnancy occur in only about 6 to 8 percent of all pregnancies. Serious complications for mothers and infants are comparably most likely to occur in these high-risk pregnancies. Therefore, special care is needed to assure the best possible outcome for these women and their babies.
Some problems during pregnancy are unavoidable. UCSF perinatologists (obstetricians with additional special training and Board Certification in high-risk pregnancy care) work to minimize complications and to achieve the healthiest pregnancy possible. Each year, we deliver hundreds of high-risk pregnancies. Our team of doctors, nurses and support staff coordinates all aspects of pregnancy care from consultation and diagnosis to delivery and long-term follow-up care for mothers and their babies.
When necessary, our perinatologists collaborate with world-renowned specialists in the care of sick mothers, including anesthesiologists, cardiologists, nephrologists, pulmonologists, and diabetes specialists, among others. Our newborns have access to the best pediatric specialists, including surgeons, geneticists, pediatric cardiologists and neonatologists (pediatricians specializing in the care of sick newborns).
A woman may be considered high-risk because of medical conditions that she experienced before pregnancy, such as diabetes; medical conditions that develop during pregnancy, such as pre-eclampsia; problems detected in her developing fetus; or pregnancy-related issues like premature labor. Some women are considered high-risk due to problems that occurred in a previous pregnancy. At UCSF, we treat the full range of conditions that may affect a woman's pregnancy. Our doctors have special training in treating diabetes in pregnancy, preterm labor, recurrent miscarriages, and fetal abnormalities. Additional specialized services include care for women with multiple pregnancies, including twins, triplets, and quadruplets.
Fortunately, advances in technology have helped to improve diagnosis and treatment of high-risk pregnant women. We provide specialized fetal imaging techniques (such as MRI) to detect various maternal and fetal conditions. Our Prenatal Diagnosis Center offers the latest tests used for the evaluation of developing fetus. Some of these tests are available in only a few centers nationwide, and can be performed as early as 10 weeks of pregnancy.
Our team of high-risk pregnancy specialists meets weekly to discuss the most complicated patients, plan management of complex cases, review patient outcomes and birth results, and share recent research that ultimately may lead to more effective treatments. Perinatal and Antenatal testing Registered Nurses are trained and experienced in providing special care. They work with physicians and other members of Health Care team to coordinate a care plan, ensure safety of a growing baby, provide education, and improve overall services.
Our Patient Navigator for Obstetric Services acts as a resource to help to coordinate patient care and to guide you through the experience of having a baby at UCSF Women’s Health. We also provide social work services through ourPregnancy and Postpartum mood Assessment Clinic. Lactation consultants are available for breastfeeding support.
For more information about the High-Risk Pregnancy Program, please call our Physician Referral Center at (415) 353-2566 or send us an email at [email protected].