A Guide to Understanding How Your High Risk Pregnancy Can Benefit from Home Health Care

Although the majority of pregnant women enjoy safe and healthy pregnancies that lead to babies being worn at or close to full-term, at least six out of every 100 pregnant women in the United States will be diagnosed with a high-risk pregnancy. If you are trying to conceive and have reason to believe that your eventual pregnancy will be high-risk or you are currently expecting and have recently been given that diagnosis, it is a good idea to consider hiring home health care to see to your needs until and immediately after your baby is born.

When you are determining the safest way to take care of yourself and your child for the duration of your pregnancy, it will be quite helpful to be aware of the following ways that home health care can help you.

Home Health Care Can Monitor Your Specific Health & Pregnancy Challenges

It is important to note that the reasons for your high-risk pregnancy will often impact your need for home health care. For instance, if you are high-risk because you are expecting two or more babies and pre-term labor is a concern, a home health nurse can monitor any contractions you may experience to make sure that your pains are not severe or frequent enough to be real labor or cause other issues. The same is true if you suffer from an incompetent cervix or similar condition that can lead to a higher risk of pregnancy loss or pre-term labor. 

In addition, a home health nurse can check your blood sugar if you were diabetic prior to pregnancy or have developed gestational diabetes. Given that preeclampsia has the potential to be lethal to mother and child, it is important to have your blood pressure monitored on a regular basis of your doctor has expressed concern about it. 

Physical & Occupational Therapists Can Help Prevent Muscle Atrophy if You Wind Up on Bed Rest

One aspect of home health care that is easy to overlook, since nurses and aides are commonly associated with home health care, is the therapies that can make your eventual return to an ambulatory life after your baby is born easier. The fact of the matter is that enforced bed rest, while frequently helpful when there are concerns about a too-early birth, can quickly lead to atrophied muscles that can complicate your recovery.

Therefore, it is a good idea to talk to your obstetrician about whether or not you can benefit from physical or occupational therapy. If deemed to be necessary, your therapists will be able to teach you helpful exercises to stimulate some or all of your muscles without endangering your pregnancy.

In conclusion, although pregnancy can be a beautiful experience that many women treasure, it can also be a stressful and risky time for many mothers. If you are concerned about your own high-risk pregnancy, home health care may be what you need in order to safeguard your health in the coming months. To learn more, contact resources like United Senior Services home health care providers.

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