Whether it’s your first pregnancy or your third, hearing your obstetrician, nurse practitioner or midwife say that your pregnancy is high risk can feel concerning. High-risk pregnancy is a term that can denote a wide variety of common conditions. Many of them are related to pre-existing conditions you may have had before becoming pregnant or conditions you may have developed while pregnant or during delivery.

A high-risk pregnancy does not necessarily mean that your pregnancy will be more difficult or challenging than a low-risk pregnancy. However, it does sometimes mean that you will need to consult a maternal-fetal medicine specialist and undergo more monitoring than someone with a low-risk pregnancy.