High-risk pregnancy

For the vast majority of women, pregnancy follows a routine course. Some women, however, have medical difficulties related to their health or the health of their baby. These women experience what is called a high-risk pregnancy.

High-risk complications occur in only 6 percent to 8 percent of all pregnancies. These complications can be serious and require special care to ensure the best possible outcome.

While some problems are unavoidable, UCSF perinatologists – obstetricians with special training and board certification in high-risk pregnancy care – work to minimize complications and help you achieve the healthiest pregnancy possible.

Our Approach to High-Risk Pregnancy

UCSF provides world-class care for women who are pregnant or considering becoming pregnant. Each pregnancy is unique. When medical conditions affect the health of a pregnant woman or her baby, our team has the training and experience necessary to provide highly specialized, comprehensive care. Our doctors, nurses and support staff coordinate all aspects of your care, from consultation, testing and diagnosis through delivery and long-term follow-up. Each year, we deliver hundreds of babies from high-risk pregnancies in our state-of-the-art, family-oriented birth center.

UCSF is a world leader in diagnosing and treating birth defects before delivery. Many of the fetal surgeries and endoscopic fetal interventions in use today were pioneered here. We are also home to one of the nation's finest intensive care nurseries, as well as the only specialized clinic in California dedicated to long-term follow-up care for children with complex birth defects.