High-Risk Pregnancy

What is High-Risk Pregnancy?

A high-risk pregnancy is a pregnancy that carries increased risks for the pregnant person, the baby, or both.

A pregnancy may be considered high risk due to:

Pre-existing conditions such as cardiac disease, epilepsy, or thyroid disease
Family history of pregnancy complications
Complications in a prior pregnancy
Medical issues that arise unexpectedly
Age of the pregnant person (over 35 or under 17)

If your pregnancy includes one of these factors, you will be referred to a UR Medicine Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) specialist. An MFM specialist, also called a perinatologist, is specialized in high-risk pregnancy care, and has advanced expertise in ultrasound evaluation of the developing baby.

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UR Medicine's Treatments for High-Risk Pregnancy

How Does an MFM Specialist Evaluate or Help Care for Pregnancy?

After referral, MFM will typically go through the following process:

Consultation, which will include discussion of and planning for a specific issue or condition. An ultrasound may be part of this process to evaluate your developing baby. Our OB/GYN ultrasound unit is AIUM certified Level II.
Co-management, during which MFM may work with other health care professionals.
Transfer of care from the former health care professional to the MFM team for both pregnancy care and delivery.

MFM offers the following treatments for pregnant people and people considering pregnancy:

Preconception (prior to pregnancy) Care and Consultation
Fetal Evaluation and Care
Genetic Evaluation and Testing
Reproductive Genetics Counseling
Pregnancy Management and Prenatal Care
Labor and Delivery Assistance
Transfer to UR Medicine from outside hospitals

What Sets Us Apart?

At UR Medicine Maternal-Fetal Medicine, your health is our top priority. Our specialists will be here to prepare and inform you through every step of your journey.

The collective experience of the MFM team in complex pregnancies makes us a leader in maternal and fetal health. Our collaborative healthcare model ensures that you are being seen by the top experts and technicians in the fields of maternal-fetal medicine, genetics, ultrasound, and lactation.

We have the largest number of perinatologists in the Rochester metropolitan area and surrounding region as well as a dedicated Diabetes in pregnancy (DiPP) program that helps manage diabetes (both diabetes that existed prior to the pregnancy, and diabetes that develops during pregnancy).

MFM specialists will work with other obstetrics providers to ensure high quality care during labor and childbirth. Our training provides us with advanced skills for attending complicated births, such as vacuum or forceps assisted births, breech delivery, twin delivery, complex cesarean birth, or trial of labor after cesarean.