High-risk pregnancy

At St. David's HealthCare, we provide expert, compassionate care for women experiencing high-risk pregnancies. Understanding what makes a pregnancy high risk will help you know what to expect and how specialized care can ensure the best possible outcome. Factors like preexisting medical conditions (diabetes, high blood pressure), prior pregnancy complications, advanced maternal age, pregnancy with multiples and certain fetal anomalies can make your pregnancy high-risk.

When a fetal anomaly, or birth defect, is identified, ranging from structural differences to genetic conditions, specialized monitoring and coordinated care are important for your baby's development and the progression of your pregnancy.

Hearing that your pregnancy is considered high risk can feel overwhelming. You are not alone. We provide an antepartum and high-risk pregnancy units for women whose pregnancies require specialized care at the following locations:

• St. David's Women's Center of Texas at St. David's North Austin Medical Center
• St. David’s Medical Center
• St. David's South Austin Medical Center

Our approach to care goes beyond medical expertise. We prioritize family-centered care that emphasizes comfort, clear communication and your active involvement every step of the way. With advanced technology, experienced specialists and the guidance of dedicated nurse navigators we will work together to ensure the best possible outcome for you and your baby.

Our maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialists are on call 24/7 to manage urgent situations and provide immediate expertise. Our MFM physicians also conduct routine rounding on all high-risk patients, ensuring you receive consistent, specialized oversight during your stay. Through a collaborative team approach that includes obstetricians, neonatologists, nurses and other specialists, we deliver seamless, comprehensive care.

Our maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialists and perinatologists are available to manage complex conditions, perform advanced prenatal screenings and provide 24/7 expertise for urgent situations. We provide a full range of diagnostic screenings and procedures for high-risk pregnancies, including:

• Chorionic villus sampling
• Fetal surgery
• Genetic amniocentesis
• Specialized ultrasound

Our high-risk antepartum rooms offer a calm, supportive environment with access to the latest maternal and fetal monitoring technology. Our dedicated team of experts provide around-the-clock physician coverage and close monitoring to keep you and your baby safe before delivery. Mothers who require extended hospitalization receive personalized care plans, continuous support, and coordinated services to protect their health and their baby’s development.

We have a dedicated maternal and neonatal transport team available 24/7 to transport patients via air or ambulance. Our team receives high-risk mothers and babies from around the state who benefit from our multidisciplinary team of experts. These medical professionals provide stabilizing care for moms with anticipated premature deliveries, high-risk pregnancies, postpartum complications as well as critically ill newborns. Non-emergent, postpartum transfers are also available to keep mom and baby together.

Maternal fetal nurse navigators are your dedicated guides throughout your pregnancy journey. With their help, you will have a consistent point of contact who can connect you to the right specialists and services, making your experience less overwhelming and more personalized to your needs. Your nurse navigator can help you:

• Build and maintain a personalized care file, ensuring high-level communication among all maternity staff
• Collaborate with your OB, MFM specialist, neonatologists, pediatric surgeons and other specialists to develop a delivery plan and coordinated care
• Coordinate a personalized tour of our maternity areas and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)
• Maintain your medical records, requests and referrals
• Refer you to additional resources and specialized programs
• Schedule a face-to-face consultation with one of our board-certified neonatologists to discuss your baby's care and expectations

Your OB or MFM specialist can refer you to one of our programs.

Sometimes, babies born to mothers who experienced high-risk conditions may need a bit more help and attention once they arrive. Our Level I to Level IV NICUs are designed to help provide stabilizing medical treatment along with developmental care and support to both mom and baby.

We provide 24/7 emergency transport services for babies who need specialized care. Whether you go into unexpected labor or your baby needs to be moved to a higher-level NICU, our team of neonatologists, registered nurses and respiratory specialists, are ready around the clock to safely transfer you and your baby.