High-Risk Pregnancy

Your pregnancy may be considered high-risk if you are age 35 or older, carrying multiple babies or if certain fetal conditions are found during prenatal care screenings. It may also be considered high-risk if you have one or more of these issues: 

• Pre-existing health conditions like diabetes, kidney disease, high blood pressure, or autoimmune diseases
• Placenta problems or abnormalities
• Cervical weakening
• Prior pregnancy complications, including later-pregnancy loss or preterm labor (before 37 weeks of pregnancy)
• Fetal conditions that may jeopardize the unborn baby’s health while in the womb, during delivery and after birth

BJC HealthCare works with WashU Medicine physicians, BJC Medical Group, and providers across the region to deliver extraordinary care. Your pregnancy may be considered high-risk if a medical condition, pre-existing or one that develops during your pregnancy, threatens your health or the health of your unborn baby, if you are pregnant with multiples or older than 35 years. This can be a very distressing time, which is why where you go for care is so important. At BJC HealthCare, you’ll find:   

• Specialized maternal expertise: BJC HealthCare is home to BJC Medical Group and WashU Medicine board-certified and fellowship-trained maternal-fetal medicine specialists. Also called high-risk OB-GYNs or perinatologists, these experts specialize in the needs of women carrying high-risk pregnancies. They can work in partnership with your OB-GYN or they can become your obstetrician.
• Care for complex fetal and newborn conditions: We have multiple St. Louis Children’s newborn intensive care units (NICUs) across our hospitals, including St. Louis’ only Level IV NICU connected to labor and delivery. Our Fetal Care Center is among only a few centers in the country that provides integrated maternal and fetal care in one location, including complex fetal surgeries and interventions for rare fetal conditions. 
• Advanced diagnostic testing: Our diagnostic experts perform thousands of ultrasounds and genetic amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling (CVS) procedures each year. We also offer fetal echocardiogram, fetal MRI, and other specialized prenatal tests to diagnose complex conditions quickly and accurately.  
• Collaborative team: Many providers work in collaboration with obstetricians to provide care for high-risk women through consultation, co-management of a woman's pregnancy, total care (including prenatal care and delivery) and direction of care before (pre-conception), during and after pregnancy to ensure you and your baby receive complete care. Your team may include your primary OB, high-risk pregnancy doctors, sonographers (providers specializing in ultrasounds), genetic counselors, specialized nurses, and neonatologists (doctors specializing in newborn care).  
• Support for families: We help you face the physical, emotional, and spiritual challenges of a high-risk pregnancy or a baby with a fetal condition. Services include perinatal behavioral health counselors, a perinatal hospice program, chaplains, and other resources to help you and your family cope and heal.