High risk pregnancy: detection and management

Risk in pregnancy relates to events which lead to perinatal morbidity and mortality. Numerous risk scoring systems have been devised to bring attention to risk factors so that problems can be prevented, identified and treated. However, by carrying out very few fundamental assessments at regular antenatal office visits: checking blood pressure, testing urine for protein, measuring the symphysis to fundus height and carefully establishing the expected date of confinement during the first trimester, the principal causes of perinatal morbidity and mortality-intrauterine growth retardation, prematurity, congenital anomalies, infection, abruptio placentae and meconium aspiration-can be identified and treated. Appropriate perinatal management of the very premature fetus/neonate (less than 34 weeks gestation) is a critical factor which will influence outcome. Whenever possible the mother should be transferred to a centre equipped and staffed for all necessary intrapartum and neonatal care, to minimize the risk of adverse outcome: postnatal transfer of the deteriorating, sick, small neonate is at best hazardous.