Are You Considered A High-Risk Pregnancy? You Can Still Use A Midwife

There are some conditions, situations, or diseases that will put you into a "high-risk" pregnancy category. They can be as simple as your age, weight or number of times pregnant. They can also be as serious as unresolved high blood pressure, insulin-dependent diabetes or cancer. Many women are looking for different birthing options than going to a hospital and using an obstetrician; however, if they are labeled as high-risk, the options are reduced. If you were hoping to use a midwife to help deliver your baby, but are considered high-risk, you may still see the midwife, with a few conditions.

Hospital Birth

While you might have been hoping for a home birth, that might not be possible when you are high-risk. Midwives who have hospital permissions can often continue to care for you during your pregnancy and deliver the baby, as long as a doctor looks over your records and is informed when you go into labor so he or she can be on-call, just in case. Of course, the delivery must take place in the hospital.

Partnered with a Doctor

It is common for a midwife to be partnered with a doctor's practice or clinic. When you go for appointments, it will be to an office that is also used by doctors. On occasion, the doctor might come into the exam room to check things out. Any test results will go to the obstetrician and he or she will be overlooking your care. As long as things proceed normally, the midwife will be delivering your baby, though.

Midwife Assisted Birth

If there have been complications that make it so the midwife cannot do the actual delivery, you can still have him or her there to assist the doctor. The midwife may have been able to continue to see you throughout the pregnancy, helping you and making sure you went for any testing the doctor ordered. He or she may be there at the start of your labor, with the doctor standing by until needed.

If you have to have an obstetrician deliver your baby, there is no reason to feel bad. The midwife can be right there with you for emotional support. Work with the OB, your primary care physician and the midwife after your baby is born. If you can get things under control, you may be lucky with your next pregnancy and have the midwife do the whole delivery. Don't be upset if you can't though. The goal is to have a healthy baby and to come through it healthy yourself.

Speak to a service like Women's Healthcare Associates LLC to learn more about what a midwife can do for you.

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