Soaring High-risk Pregnancy Cases in Srikakulam Needs Attention

Recently, the death of a 26-year-old woman due to multiple ailments has brought the issues related to high-risk pregnancy in Srikakulam district. Statistics have revealed that 30 percent of the pregnant women in the district who underwent tests during pregnancy have been found with high-risk symptoms.

In 2017, 264 infants and 22 new mothers died in the district. As many as 572 expecting mothers have identified with high-risk symptoms of the 1,921 women who have undergone 32 diagnostic tests at the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Hospital. More than 50 percent of the total pregnant women who underwent test last summer were identified as high-risk cases.

“As per our observation, many pregnant women with high-risk symptoms come to the hospitals after the labor pain starts. In such cases,  life risk is more,” says district coordinator for hospital services B Surya Rao.

District medical and health officer S Tirupathi Rao says that health workers are assigned to the high-risk cases to keep a close watch on their health parameters.

“The high-risk patients are advised to admit themselves to the hospital a week prior to their expected delivery date for better monitoring. The patients are referred to better hospitals if needed to ensure that the delivery is performed under the supervision of specialists.  The list of the identified high-risk cases will be displayed at each PHCs,” he says.

What Does it Mean - ‘High Risk Pregnancy’?

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 Being at high risk doesn't mean that the pregnant woman or the baby will have problems but it’s a caution for doctors to make sure that you get special attention during your pregnancy. The following list explains what it means to be at high-risk.

• Known case of Diabetes, Cancer, High blood pressure., Kidney disease, Epilepsy.
• Using alcohol or illegal drugs, smoking.
• Age Factor: Younger than 17 or older than 35.
• Multiple pregnancy: You are pregnant with more than one baby.
• Three or more miscarriages.
• A genetic condition, such as Down syndrome, or a heart, lung, or kidney problem for the baby.
• Problem in a past pregnancy, such as: Preterm labor, Preeclampsia or seizures (eclampsia), Having a baby with a genetic problem, such as Down syndrome.
• Infections during pregnancy: HIV, hepatitis C, cytomegalovirus (CMV), chickenpox, rubella, toxoplasmosis, and syphilis.
• Using certain medicines, such as lithium, phenytoin (such as Dilantin), valproic acid (Depakene), or carbamazepine (such as Tegretol).
• Other health problems can make your pregnancy high-risk. These include heart valve problems, sickle cell disease, asthma, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Source-Medindia