High Risk Pregnancy
A high risk pregnancy unit treats pregnant women at risk for complications during pregnancy, labour and delivery. At risk pregnancy may be the result of a pre-existing medical condition (such as hypertension, diabetes or thyroid disease), an obstetric complication (such as twin pregnancy or preterm labour) or a foetal complication (such as foetal anomaly or poor foetal growth). The management requires input of subspecialists who have the expertise, training and experience to manage complicated pregnancies. Patients may receive their entire obstetric care at the Apollo Birthing Centre or be referred for a onetime consultation, or for ongoing co-management.
Aims and Objectives
To reduce both perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortality. The goal is to achieve best outcome for the mother and baby. Facilities The unit identifies three groups of pregnant women with complications:
Women who have medical problems during pregnancy:
Otherwise healthy women develop certain problems which are specific to pregnancy, for example:
- Gestational Hypertension
- Gestational Diabetes
Our specialists have specific programs to manage them. While we cannot yet prevent them, screening can be done for early identification and management.
Women who have medical problems before pregnancy:
The unit treats and follows up women with chronic illnesses which may be exacerbated during pregnancy or have an impact on pregnancy, for example;
- Women with pre-existing Hypertension or Diabetes
- Renal diseases
- Asthma and respiratory illnesses
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Cardiac disease
- Thyroid problems
- Neurologic disorders such as epilepsy
- Thromboembolic disease
- Connective tissue diseases such as Lupus(SLE)
- Acute and chronic infections such as HIV & Hepatitis
These women require additional and special attention. Pre pregnancy planning is especially important for women with pre-existing medical conditions. Our specialists are specially trained to manage these cases. They can determine what is, and what is not safe during pregnancy & what to expect for specific condition. Working closely with physicians, they have a detailed plan of care for the pregnancy.
Women with problems related to pregnancy:
There are problems specific to pregnancy itself & have little to do with mother’s medical status, for example;
- Pre-term Labour
- Twins or higher order pregnancies
- Elderly Primi or Multigravida
- IVF treated pregnancy
- Placenta Praevia or other placental problems
- Oligamnios
- Foetal abnormalities
- Genetic problems
- Foetal haemolytic disease &foetal hydrops
- Inappropriate Foetal growth (Small and Large for Gestational age babies)
- Pre-termprematureruptureofmembranes
Our doctors have specific expertise and technical skill in this difficult area of obstetrics. High risk patients often require detailed assessment which involves:
- Genetic counselling
- Prenatal screening and diagnosis with facilities which include biochemical marker screening, chorion villus sampling, amniocentesis, Foetal blood sampling and advanced ultrasound for the detection of Foetal anomalies.
- Extensive ante partum and intrapartum Foetal surveillance
- Specialised neonatal care
Team members
- Team of Obstetricians specialising in High-risk pregnancy care
- Neonatologist
- Ultrasound specialist
- Fetal Medicine Specialist
- Internal medicine specialist
- Intensivist
- Diabetologist
- Nephrologist
- General Surgeon
- Paediatric Surgeon
- Pediatric cardiologist
- Haematologist
- Blood Bank Consultant
- Cardiologist
- Neurologist
- Anaesthesiologist
- Psychologist
- Dietician
- Geneticist
- Skilled Nurses and paramedics
Highlights
- Highly equipped Labour room with electronic foetal monitors
- Neonatal Intensive care unit
- Intensive care unit with up to date monitors and ventilators
- Leading edge Ultrasound machines with 3D & Colour Doppler facilities and Foetal Echo-cardiography
- Facilities for Genetic Screening and invasive procedures such as amniocentesis, cordocentesis
- A highly specialised in-house laboratory
- State-of-the-art operation theatre
- Best in the region tranfusion medicine department and Blood Bank
