Is Your Pregnancy High Risk? What to Ask Your Doctor

While all pregnancies carry some degree of risk, each year, between 30,000 and 50,000 pregnant women, or 6% to 8%, in the U.S. have pregnancies that are deemed high risk. If your obstetrician has told you that your pregnancy is high risk or there is a possibility of a high-risk pregnancy should you become pregnant, you probably have a lot of concerns and questions.

It’s helpful to understand what factors contribute to high-risk pregnancies. The term high risk means that you have a higher than average risk of experiencing a pregnancy complication that can affect your health or your baby’s health. In general, three types of factors affect your risk—pre-existing conditions, health conditions that develop during pregnancy, and lifestyle factors. Age also has an impact, with risk being higher for women under 20 and over 35.

Some of the pre-existing conditions that can increase your risk of pregnancy complications include:

• Autoimmune diseases
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Obesity
• Heart disease
• Kidney disease
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Blood clotting disorders
• Fibroids
• Infections, including HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted infections, group B strep
• Thyroid disease
• Epilepsy
• Poorly controlled asthma
• Current cancer

During pregnancy, there is the potential for factors to develop and increase your risk of complications, including:

• Gestational diabetes
• Gestational high blood pressure, preeclampsia, and eclampsia
• Pregnancy with multiple fetuses
• Conditions that affect the placenta, including placenta previa (placenta partially or totally covers the cervix), placental abruption (placenta detaches from the uterus), and placenta accreta (placenta attaches too deeply into the uterine wall)
• Rh sensitization (your blood group is Rh negative and the fetus’ is Rh positive)
• Too much or too little amniotic fluid
• Complications with previous pregnancies
• Genetic conditions that affect the fetus, such as chromosomal abnormalities

Lifestyle factors like smoking and alcohol and substance use also increase the risk of pregnancy complications.

Questions to ask your doctor about high-risk pregnancy

Your obstetrician will monitor your pregnancy closely and may refer you to a specialist for care tailored to people with higher risk pregnancies. If your doctor says your pregnancy is high risk, you’ll want to get more information. These questions are a good starting point:

• What factors make my pregnancy high risk? There are many different factors that can put a pregnancy into the high-risk category. Find out which ones are affecting you and ask if there are ways to mitigate your risk.
• Will I need the care of any specialists? Depending on what factors make your pregnancy high risk, your doctor may recommend that you see a perinatologist or maternal-fetal medicine specialist. These obstetricians specialize in caring for mothers and fetuses that are at high risk and undergo three additional years of training on treating the complications of pregnancy. Studies have shown that when women with pregnancy complications are cared for by these specialists, the outcomes are better for both the baby and mother. You may also be referred to a geneticist, cardiologist, endocrinologist, or rheumatologist to manage conditions that are contributing to your risk.
• Are there steps I can take to lower the risks associated with my pregnancy? Your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes including changes to your diet and/or activity and steps to manage any chronic conditions.
• Are there tests I will need to undergo in addition to routine prenatal screenings? Depending on what factors make your pregnancy high risk, your doctor may recommend additional lab, imaging, and genetic tests to monitor your health and the health of your baby. You will also see your doctor for prenatal checkups more frequently than you would during a routine pregnancy.
• What symptoms or signs could indicate a problem with my pregnancy and which ones mean I should seek emergency care? Talk to your doctor about what signs to watch for, when to call your doctor, and when to go to the emergency room. Some common symptoms of complications include severe headaches, unusual vaginal bleeding or leaking of amniotic fluid, reduced fetal movement, vision changes, high fever, significant swelling of the legs, hands, or face, severe abdominal pain, cramps, difficulty breathing, chest pain, dizziness, fainting, high heart rate, severe nausea and vomiting, and overwhelming fatigue.
• How will my condition affect my delivery? Depending on your condition, your doctor may recommend a planned C-section or inducing labor.
• How can I manage my stress and anxiety? While being told your pregnancy is high risk is bound to make you feel anxious, take whatever steps you can to lower your stress. Find a support network. Your doctor may be able to recommend a support group for high-risk pregnancy or connect you with a mental health specialist. Consider practicing anxiety management techniques like meditation and breathing exercises.

What you can do to manage risk before you’re pregnant

Of course, you can’t eliminate risk, but there are steps you can take to manage it. If you are not yet pregnant, work with your primary care doctor and any specialists you see to identify and effectively manage conditions that could affect your pregnancy, like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and autoimmune disease.

Making healthier lifestyle choices can also be helpful. Choose a healthy diet, reach and maintain a healthy weight, get regular moderate exercise, manage stress, prioritize sleep, quit smoking and tobacco use, and avoid alcohol.

Your health advisor can be a valuable resource for information and support during a high-risk pregnancy. Your advisor can connect you with experienced perinatologists, geneticists, and other specialists, and provide information about which medical centers have the experience and expertise to handle your baby’s birth and your post-partum care.

Connect with PinnacleCare

For more information about how PinnacleCare’s Health Advisors could assist you with high-risk pregnancy support, connect with us today.

Updated on May 8, 2026

PinnacleCare is a member of the Sun Life Financial Inc. (“Sun Life”) family of companies. PinnacleCare and its employees do not diagnose medical conditions, recommend treatment options or provide medical care, and any information or services provided should not be considered medical advice. Any medical decisions should be made only after consultation with and at the direction of your medical provider. Any person or entity who provides health care services following a referral or other service provided does so independently and not as an agent or representative of PinnacleCare.

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