By Annette Pinder

According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), a high-risk pregnancy threatens the health or life of the mother or her fetus. A high-risk pregnancy often requires specialized care from specially trained providers.

Paul Ogburn, MD, who specializes in maternal-fetal medicine and provides care to women who may have high-risk pregnancies, explains that some pregnancies become a high risk as they progress, while some women are at increased risk for complications even before they get pregnant for a variety of reasons. Dr. Ogburn cites various factors in high-risk pregnancy.

Existing health conditions. Existing health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or being HIV-positive can place a woman at high risk during pregnancy.

Overweight and obesity. Obesity increases the risk for high blood pressure, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, stillbirth, neural tube defects, and cesarean delivery. Researchers have found that obesity can raise an infant’s risk of heart problems at birth by 15 percent.

Multiple births. The risk of complications is higher in women carrying more than one fetus, such as twins, and multiple gestations. Common complications include preeclampsia, premature labor, and preterm birth. More than one-half of all twins, and as many as 93 percent of triplets, are born at less than 37 weeks’ gestation.

Young or old maternal age. Pregnancy in teens and women ages 35 years or older increases the risk for preeclampsia and gestational high blood pressure.

Dr. Ogburn is excited about the new General Physician, P.C. (GPPC) Northtowns Maternal-Fetal Health Center, saying, “The new center will provide women with high-risk pregnancies the ability to receive care from a special team of health providers to ensure their best possible outcomes. However, our ultimate goal is to help all women have healthy pregnancies and deliveries without complications.”

The GPPC Northtowns Maternal-Fetal Medicine Center team, led by Dr. Ogburn, offers preconception counseling; genetic testing; prenatal screening and diagnosis; ultrasound screening; multiple gestation care; diagnosis and care for fetal anomalies; amniocentesis and percutaneous umbilical cord blood sampling testing; chronic maternal medical conditions consultations; and fetal non-stress tests.

The Northtowns Maternal-Fetal Health Center is located at 1020 Youngs Road, Suite 110, Williamsville, NY 14221. To make an appointment, call 716-632-8124. Learn more at www.gppconline.com.