31 pregnancy risk factors to discuss with your doctor

Source: Excerpted from the Women’s Health Encyclopedia

The following factors should be discussed with your doctor. Remember that over 97 percent of pregnancies result in the safe delivery of a healthy baby. If you attend the early prenatal care appointments, your health care team can identify and address any pregnancy risk factors, such as:

‘ Age: are you younger than 18 or over 35 years?

‘ Have four or more children

‘ IUD in place

‘ Vaginal bleeding after last period

‘ Previous stillbirth or neonatal death

‘ Previous Cesarean delivery or myomectomy

‘ Previous small’under 5 lb. (2.25 kg) or large’over 8 lb (3.6 kg) baby

‘ Previous preterm delivery (before 37 weeks)

‘ Two or more miscarriages before existing pregnancy

‘ History of premature labour, cervical stitch (called cerclage), late miscarriage or abortion, or two or more abortions

‘ Congenital abnormality in previous baby

‘ Antibodies in your blood that could harm the fetus

‘ Preeclampsia, hypertension, proteinuria in a previous pregnancy

‘ Severe bleeding after giving birth or removal of placenta in previous pregnancy

‘ History of short labour (under 2 hours) or long labour (over 18 hours)

‘ Postpartum depression after birth of previous baby

‘ Uterine problem such as fibroids or cysts

‘ Blood disorder

‘ Family history of diabetes or congenital fetal abormality

‘ Smoking

‘ Drinking 2 or more units of alcohol a day prior to pregnancy

‘ Inability to stop drinking while pregnant

‘ Illegal drug taking by either parent

‘ Several different sexual partners, anal intercourse, bisexual partner

‘ Hepatitis B, HIV, AIDS

‘ High blood pressure (over 140/90 mmHg, after you have been lying down for 5 minutes)

‘ Over- or under-weight or less than 5 ft. (1.5 m) tall

‘ Protein in urine or other kidney or liver disease

‘ Heart murmur

‘ Pelvic or abdominal abnormalities

‘ Vaginal bleeding late in prior pregnancy

If you’re concerned about risks during pregnancy, check out these 12 steps to your healthiest pregnancy.