High-Risk Pregnancy Resources

NICHD also offers information about other topics associated with high-risk pregnancy:

• Health Problems in Pregnancy
  The National Library of Medicine offers information about risks and complications in pregnancy.
• NICHD has more information about gestational diabetes and how to manage it. Read more in one of the publications below:
  • Am I at Risk for Gestational Diabetes?
  • Managing Gestational Diabetes: A Patient’s Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy
  • Preeclampsia and Eclampsia
  • Preterm Labor and Birth
  • Diabetes
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Neural Tube Defects
  • Obesity and Overweight
  • Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
• AIDS.gov: Pregnancy and Childbirth
  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services outlines the best ways to reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to your newborn.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  CDC maintains statistics, guidelines, and information about pregnancy and pregnancy risks, including the dangers of drinking during pregnancy.
  • Read more about fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and alcohol and pregnancy.
  • Learn about tobacco use and pregnancy and find tips on how to quit smoking.
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)  
  ACOG maintains updated information about pregnancy and its complications. Read more below about certain conditions that can lead to a high-risk pregnancy.
  • Early Pregnancy Loss  (PDF 84 KB)
  • FAQs: Having a Baby (Especially for Teens) 
  • Multiple Pregnancy 
  • Having a Baby After Age 35  (PDF 66 KB)
  • Tobacco, Alcohol, Drugs, and Pregnancy  (PDF 75 KB)
• Preeclampsia Foundation 
  The Preeclampsia Foundation provides information about preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome, personal stories and a community forum, and information on preeclampsia research and how to participate in a study .
• Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) 
  The SMFM website can help you find a maternal-fetal medicine specialist .

Please note: Links to organizations and information included on this page do not indicate endorsement from NICHD, NIH, or HHS.

• NICHD supports research networks that aim to advance understanding of high-risk pregnancy and related issues. These include:
  • Global Network for Women’s and Children’s Health Research
  • International Maternal, Pediatric, Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials Network
  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) Network
  • Maternal-Fetal Surgery Network
  • NICHD Domestic and International Pediatric and Maternal HIV Clinical Studies Network
  • nuMoM2b
  • Maternal and Pediatric Precision in Therapeutics (MPRINT) Hub
• In addition, NICHD sponsors conferences on topics related to high-risk pregnancy.
  • Read a summary of a 2016 workshop on Zika’s effects on child development .
  • Read the summary of the 2016 Opioid Use in Pregnancy, Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, and Childhood Outcomes Workshop .
  • Read conference materials for the NIH Consensus Development Conference on Diagnosing Gestational Diabetes (2013).
  • Find the agenda and other background information for the 2010 NIH Consensus Development Conference on Vaginal Birth After Cesarean: New Insights.
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)  
  ACOG provides guidance on best practices for clinicians. It is also behind the Making Obstetrics and Maternity Safer campaign, an initiative to promote evidence-based interventions to improve the health of mothers.
  • Read the ACOG Practice Bulletin on gestational diabetes mellitus. 
  • Read the ACOG Committee on Obstetric Practice opinion on marijuana use during pregnancy and lactation.
  • Read the ACOG Practice Bulletin on vaginal birth after cesarean delivery.
  • Read the ACOG Committee on Obstetric Practice opinion on smoking cessation during pregnancy.
  • Read the ACOG Committee on Obstetric Practice opinion on maternal-fetal surgery for myelomeningocele.
  • Read the ACOG Committee on Obstetric Practice opinion on antenatal corticosteroid therapy for fetal maturation.
  • Read the ACOG Committee on Obstetric Practice opinion on emergent therapy for acute-onset, severe hypertension during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
• Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) 
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducts surveillance of maternal and child health indicators in 40 states through PRAMS.
• Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine   
  The Society provides information on upcoming meetings in maternal and fetal medicine, training and career opportunities, and research on high-risk pregnancy.
• Endocrine Society  
  The Endocrine Society provides Clinical Practice Guidelines  for endocrine-related conditions, including diabetes and thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy.
• Preeclampsia Foundation  
  The Preeclampsia Foundation provides information and resources for care providers , including practice guidelines, professional education opportunities, and patient education materials.

Please note: Links to organizations and information included on this page do not indicate endorsement from NICHD, NIH, or HHS.