High-Risk Pregnancy

At Yale New Haven Hospital, our internationally recognized maternal-fetal medicine team is dedicated to providing state-of- the art approaches and customized care for pregnant individuals and their developing babies considered at higher risk for complications, like preeclampsia and diabetes.

We have pioneered the development of chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and fetal blood sampling (FBS), and have the most experienced team for these procedures in New England.

Patients can have confidence knowing that this multidisciplinary team meets regularly to develop individualized treatment plans for each patient.

Conditions that can make a pregnancy high-risk, requiring specialized care include:

• Abnormal AFP (alpha fetoprotein) blood test
• Advanced maternal age (35 years or older)
• Diabetes, before pregnancy and brought on by pregnancy (gestational diabetes)
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Infectious diseases
• Kidney or gastrointestinal disease
• Multiples (twins, triplets or more)
• Preeclampsia (toxemia), a serious blood pressure condition that can develop during pregnancy or postpartum (after delivery)
• Premature rupture of membranes
• Recurrent pregnancy loss
• Recurrent preterm labor and delivery
• Suspected fetal growth restriction (baby appears to be growing slowly)

Our maternal-fetal medicine specialists provides 24/7 coverage throughout a patient’s entire labor and birth experience, working with a highly skilled team of registered nurses and nurse practitioners, all with advanced degrees.

Services Offered

Diabetes in Pregnancy Program provides essential services for diabetic individuals before, during and after pregnancy. Our expert team of physicians, diabetic educators and advanced practice nurses help pregnant patients manage their diabetes to reduce the risk of high fetal birth weight and other pregnancy complications.

Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital’s Fetal Care Center brings together top experts to create a complete care plan for pregnant women whose obstetrician has detected something of concern in their developing baby. With the use of prenatal genetic testing, advanced diagnostics testing and treatment options, this unique program has ensured successful births for thousands of babies with special needs. Learn more

Accreta Program provides specialized multi-disciplinary care to help manage complicated deliveries.

Maternal Congenital Cardiac Disease Program is designed to coordinate care for pregnancies in those with congenital or acquired heart disease. Learn more

Pregnancy After Loss Clinic, part of Yale New Haven Hospital’s Maternal Fetal Medicine program, brings together a multidisciplinary team, including maternal-fetal medicine specialists, behavioral health experts, nurses and support staff, to provide personalized care tailored to each patient’s medical and emotional needs. The clinic offers enhanced monitoring, individualized care plans and integrated emotional support services throughout pregnancy. This approach helps provide reassurance while improving both clinical outcomes and the overall patient experience. 

Yale New Haven Hospital is the first hospital in Connecticut to earn certification for its Pregnancy After Loss Clinic through the U.S. Pregnancy After Loss Network, marking a significant advancement in specialized care for patients navigating pregnancy following miscarriage, stillbirth or infant loss.