Although I have never experienced any high-risk pregnancies with my two children, I do want to know more about the subject as I have friends who have suffered through miscarriages and also the passing of their babies. The goal of Kelly Whitehead's High-Risk Pregnancy: Why Me? Understanding and Managing a Potential Preterm Pregnancy - A Medical and Emotional Guide is to educate and give you a better understanding and to let you know there is hope and nothing is impossible!
I like the chapter on Preeclampsia (page 47 to 56) which is very detailed and informative, providing reasons for the routine check-ups on blood pressure, weight, and urine tests being carried out during the pre-natal visits.
I also agree with the points on choosing the right doctor (Chapter 15) as I have personally experienced the effects of a not-so-committed physician who rushes through our appointments (we always get the "So anymore questions? Ok?" within the first 10 minutes into my check-up.); we decided to change to another gynae doctor after I was prescribed a hormone pill (to make the fetus grow faster) and was advised to take it orally (I experienced side effects from that!)
We also found out from our 2nd gynae that it is not advisable to continue with my current over-the-counter multivitamins as the amount of some vitamins are too high for pregnant mums to consume (which also may harm the baby)
Furthermore, I find Whitehead's "Dos and Don'ts of the NICU" (page 324 to 328) very useful as it gives helpful tips on how to deal with the newborn and the parents as well.
High-Risk Pregnancy is inspiring, too, in its inclusion of some real-life stories, encouraging pregnant women with cases of other women experiencing the same (or even worse situations). A sense of support and hope may be instilled by examples of how these earlier women ultimately overcame their obstacles, finding closure and moving on with their lives when things do not work out.
To sum-up, High-Risk Pregnancy is an incisive and thorough book to have as I get to learn and understand more about the topic. I am truly thankful to be able to carry my two children to full terms and delivered them both naturally without any complications.
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