Candidates for High Risk Pregnancy

Find out if you are a candidate for high risk pregnancy The table given below aims at predicting whether you may develop complications during labour. It lays down certain risk factors and a scoring system has been devised to indicate the likelihood of a problem pregnancy. A score of 10 points or more is considered high risk. However, since the process of giving birth is unpredictable, not all women in the high risk category will develop complications during labour. Risk factor Score High blood pressure (moderate or severe, often requiring hospitalization in pregnancy) 10 Severe kidney or heart disease 10 Diabetes (requiring insulin) 10 Previous stillbirth, premature or low birth weight infant, or newborn death that occurred within one month of birth 10 Overdue three or more weeks 10 Twins 10 Baby in breech position (in the last six weeks of pregnancy) 10 Previous multiple miscarriages (three or more) 10 Age older than 35 or younger than 15 10 Excessive drug use, including alcohol 10 Moderate alcohol intake 10 Previous kidney (not bladder) infection 5 High blood pressure (mild, not requiring hospitalization during pregnancy) 5 Pregnancy diabetes (diabetes developing in pregnancy, not requiring insulin) 5 Previous caesarean section 5 Previous delivery of baby weighing more than 10 pounds 5 Have been pregnant more than five times 5 Severe flu, bronchitis, or viral illness 5 Severe anaemia (haemoglobin less than 9 grams) 5 Weight less than 100 or more than 200 pounds 5 Height less than five feet 5 Previous child with a birth defect 5 Vaginal spotting 5 Smoking more than one packet of cigarettes a day 5 Emotional problems 5 Bladder infection 1 Previous high blood pressure in an earlier pregnancy 1 Family history of diabetes 1 Adapted from Hobel, C.J. Prenatal and Intrapartum High Risk Screening, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Find out if you are a candidate for high risk pregnancy

The table given below aims at predicting whether you may develop complications during labour. It lays down certain risk factors and a scoring system has been devised to indicate the likelihood of a problem pregnancy. A score of 10 points or more is considered high risk. However, since the process of giving birth is unpredictable, not all women in the high risk category will develop complications during labour.

Risk factor	Score
High blood pressure (moderate or severe, often requiring hospitalization in pregnancy)	10
Severe kidney or heart disease	10
Diabetes (requiring insulin)	10
Previous stillbirth, premature or low birth weight infant, or newborn death that occurred within one month of birth	10
Overdue three or more weeks	10
Twins	10
Baby in breech position (in the last six weeks of pregnancy)	10
Previous multiple miscarriages (three or more)	10
Age older than 35 or younger than 15	10
Excessive drug use, including alcohol	10
Moderate alcohol intake	10
Previous kidney (not bladder) infection	5
High blood pressure (mild, not requiring hospitalization during pregnancy)	5
Pregnancy diabetes (diabetes developing in pregnancy, not requiring insulin)	5
Previous caesarean section	5
Previous delivery of baby weighing more than 10 pounds	5
Have been pregnant more than five times	5
Severe flu, bronchitis, or viral illness	5
Severe anaemia (haemoglobin less than 9 grams)	5
Weight less than 100 or more than 200 pounds	5
Height less than five feet	5
Previous child with a birth defect	5
Vaginal spotting	5
Smoking more than one packet of cigarettes a day	5
Emotional problems	5
Bladder infection	1
Previous high blood pressure in an earlier pregnancy	1
Family history of diabetes	1

Adapted from Hobel, C.J. Prenatal and Intrapartum High Risk Screening, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology