Having a baby in an Ohio hospital can be an exciting, joyful, yet stressful experience. Perhaps, you consider yourself a veteran at the process, after having navigated several other pregnancies and births. Then again, this might be your first go-around, in which case, you’re likely asking a lot of questions and trying to learn as much as you can about what to expect. Some things go unsaid, such as the fact that your doctor or midwife have an obligation to provide care to keep you and your baby safe.
Maternal health has a close connection to a woman’s ability to enjoy a safe, healthy pregnancy and birthing experience. You might have a pre-existing health condition or develop symptoms during pregnancy that automatically alert your obstetrician or midwife to potential danger. The average physician or midwife knows what to look for and also what to do if a problem arises.
Are you diabetic, or do you have high blood pressure?
If you attend a prenatal appointment after learning you are pregnant, you’ll want to inform your doctor immediately if you have diabetes or high blood pressure. Your care provider, of course, will also be checking your vital signs and running tests to rule out these and other pre-existing adverse health conditions as well.
Maternal diabetes and high blood pressure are two of the most common, yet also most high-risk conditions you can have during pregnancy. If you have received a diagnosis with either, your medical team will want to closely monitor you throughout pregnancy, labor and delivery, as well as during recovery. If troubling symptoms develop, swift action may be necessary to keep you and your baby safe.
Other high-risk issues
You might be one of many women who are age 35 or older during pregnancy. In fact, many women are waiting until they are older to try to conceive. There are certain risks involved with advanced maternal age, however — two of which happen to be that you have a greater chance of developing the adverse conditions mentioned earlier: diabetes and high blood pressure.
If you weight is at or above a certain level, this, too, places you in a high-risk pregnancy category. Additional concerns arise if you are having twins, triplets or more multiple births, or if you have a communicable disease, such as HIV.
High-quality medical care is a key to your safety
Both you and your child may suffer serious injuries or illness in connection with high-risk maternal health factors during pregnancy or childbirth. For instance, maternal obesity increases the chances of suffering stillbirth. Your medical team should recognize certain symptoms and know what to do if a problem arises.
Sadly, you or your child may suffer injury if your doctor, midwife or other medical team member does not adhere to Ohio laws and accepted safety standards. In fact, medical negligence can have disastrous, sometimes fatal, results during pregnancy, labor or delivery. The state allows parents who fall victim to substandard care to seek financial recovery for their losses in court.