High-Risk Pregnancy

Facing a high-risk pregnancy can be overwhelming. Our maternal-fetal medicine specialists, or high-risk pregnancy doctors, are here to put your mind at ease and provide a safe and comfortable experience every step of the way.

High-risk pregnancies are those in which the mother, the baby or both have an increased risk for complications before, during or after pregnancy. Some patients may be high risk due to pre-existing conditions or unexpected events that occur during pregnancy.

Factors that increase your chance of having a high-risk pregnancy include:

• Abnormal genetic screening
• Advanced maternal age
• Cervical insufficiency
• Chronic hypertension (high blood pressure) or pregnancy-induced hypertension
• Diabetes or gestational diabetes
• Excessive bleeding during pregnancy
• Family history of birth defects
• Heart conditions
• History of miscarriage or preterm birth
• Multiple gestation (twins or triplets)
• Premature labor
• Previous complicated cesarean delivery

Having one or more risk factors doesn’t guarantee you’ll have problems during your pregnancy. However, the more risk factors you have, the greater the chance of complications. Our maternal-fetal medicine team will work with you to develop a prenatal care and delivery plan that ensures the best outcome for you and your baby.

What to expect

At your first appointment, you’ll meet with a maternal-fetal medicine specialist to discuss your health history, including any previous pregnancies and existing health conditions. You may or may not have an ultrasound during this first visit. They may order additional tests or ultrasounds to check your baby’s growth and development.

Based on this information, they will collaborate with your obstetrician or family medicine doctor to develop a treatment plan unique to you. If you need additional specialty care, our maternal-fetal medicine specialists work closely with experts throughout Nebraska Medicine. Our goal is to make sure you receive the best possible care during pregnancy, delivery and postpartum.

Why you should choose Nebraska Medicine

Whether it’s your first child or you’ve been through labor and delivery before, you want the best possible care to ensure your health and the health of your new baby. Nebraska Medicine maternal-fetal medicine specialists are experts in managing high-risk pregnancies. They are here to support you every step of the way and are backed by every medical specialty needed to provide the safest care in Nebraska.

Our level 3 Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) offers complete medical care and support for newborns who require specialized attention due to prematurity or other medical complications.

Our staff of highly trained nurses, surgical technologists, patient care technicians and international board-certified lactation consultants are on hand to help provide the best care possible.

Modern and fully equipped labor suites provide space and privacy for families. Among many other benefits, we offer rooming in with your baby and 24-hour room services. We provide personalized post-delivery care and education to help you feel confident in your transition home.