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Planning a High Risk Pregnancy

A Pregnancy Plan

By Kendeyl Johansen

Reno knew she would be taking fertility drugs due to the PCOS and she made sure her health was the best it could be before getting pregnant. She underwent cardiac function tests due to her high blood pressure and switched to another, safe medication before trying to conceive.

FitzSimmons changed to a safer medication to control her epilepsy before becoming pregnant. She also has been taking prenatal vitamins for years, even when not pregnant. "My drug, tegretol, can cause spina bifida. However, folic acid seems to combat this," FitzSimmons says. "A neurologist insisted I go on a prenatal vitamin, whether I was planning to have a baby or not for as long as it was possible that I could have children. I haven't missed a vitamin since."

But not every woman should get pregnant. "If a woman's medication is not under control or if a doctor is worried about a baby because of a medication's effect, or if pregnancy would make the mother's disease worse, getting pregnant isn't a good idea," says Dr. Tabsh. Pregnancy is also contraindicated if a woman's medical condition is likely to cause very premature delivery, which can result in long-term problems for the baby or even death.

Want to see more?

• Making Sense of PCOS: Answers to Common Questions
• In the Genes:Testing for Genetic Disorders
• PCOS: A Woman's Guide to Dealing With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
• Talk about it!