Page 88 - fourth year book

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH CARE (MCH)

High Risk Mothers

A highly significant part of the prenatal assessment is the screening
for high-risk factors. Risk factors are any findings that have a negative
effect on pregnancy either for woman or her fetus.

High Risk Factors:

I. Biological socio-economic & demographic factors:
 Age: less than 18 years or more than 35 years.

 Parity: first or fifth or more pregnancy.
 Birth spacing: too short intervals (less than 2 years) & too long
(more than 10 years).
 Education of mother: illiterate mothers are at risk.
 Illegitimacy
 Inadequate prenatal care.
 Poverty: substandard housing & nutritional deprivation.

 X-ray, irradiation, occupational hazards, pollution.
 Drug abuse.
 Migrant family status.
 Alcoholism.
 Smoking.

 History of mental illness.
II. Medical factors:
 D.M
 Hypertension.
 Hypo or hyperthyroidism
 T.B
 Rubella

 Heart disease.
 Renal disease
 Malnutrition (anemia Hb ↓9gm).
 Syphilis.
III. Obstetrical factors:

 History of still birth
 Previous cesarean section
 Pregnancy induced hypertension.
 Placenta previa.
 History of difficult or prolonged.
 Repeated abortion.
 RH incompatibility -multiple pregnancies

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