High Risk Obstetrics

High Risk Obstetrics services offered in Greenwood, SC

High-risk obstetric care mitigates your risk of pregnancy complications before, during, and after the birth of your baby. At Turning Point Women’s Center PA in Greenwood, South Carolina, board-certified obstetrician Michael B. Gentry, DO, offers high-risk obstetrics for pregnancies involving multiple births, genetic predispositions, certain pre-existing conditions, and other factors. To find out if you can benefit from high-risk obstetrics, call Turning Point Women’s Center PA or schedule an appointment online today.

What is high-risk obstetrics?

High-risk obstetrics involves attentive care for pregnancies where the mother or baby is at an increased risk of experiencing complications. If you have a high-risk pregnancy, you need close monitoring from your obstetrician to check in on your and your baby’s health.

High-risk obstetrics also involves some extra care before, during, and after childbirth. While your risk factor doesn’t necessarily mean that anything will go wrong during your pregnancy, it’s best to keep a close eye on your health just in case. These services mitigate your risk and address any possible issues in their earliest stages.

When do I need high-risk obstetrics?

There are numerous reasons why you might need high-risk obstetrics throughout your pregnancy. Dr. Gentry evaluates you and goes over your medical history during your earliest prenatal appointments to assess your and your baby’s risks of health complications.

You may need high-risk obstetric care if you:

Are over 35
Are under 17
Have a chronic health condition like diabetes or high blood pressure
Are having multiple births (e.g., twins or triplets)
Have a sexually transmitted disease (STD)
Are overweight or obese
Have preeclampsia
Had complications during previous pregnancies
Have certain unhealthy habits, like smoking or drug use

A preconception genetic screening tells you of your and your partner’s genetic risks for certain inherited conditions. Even if you don’t have them yourselves, you may be carriers. The results of these tests can tell you if you need high-risk obstetric care due to those risks.

What does high-risk obstetrics entail?

Your high-risk obstetric needs might differ from someone else who has a high-risk pregnancy according to your conditions and circumstances. You undergo additional testing and more frequent appointments than you would with a non-high-risk pregnancy.

Turning Point Women’s Center PA manages high-risk pregnancies with tests and services like:

Blood testing and urinalysis
Ultrasound imaging
Biophysical profile tests
Home blood pressure monitoring
Careful medication management

Dr. Gentry encourages you to follow all instructions closely and modify behaviors that might be harmful to you or your baby during pregnancy, like unsafe sex or smoking. If your or your baby’s health is in danger as your due date gets closer, labor induction or a C-section might be necessary.

A high-risk pregnancy requires additional appointments and monitoring by a trusted obstetrician. Call Turning Point Women’s Center PA or schedule an appointment online today for more information on high-risk obstetrics.