Making Miracles: Success Stories of Exceptional Pregnancies

How Families Cope

When you're experiencing a high-risk pregnancy, the fun side of pregnancy may disappear. "For those who have no problems conceiving and maintaining a pregnancy there can be a casual attitude towards the impending birth," says Kathryn Kaycoff-Manos, MA, co-director of Agency for Surrogacy Solutions, Inc., an infertility-consulting firm in southern California. "But for those who have not had that blissful experience, the nine months leading up to welcoming a baby can be fraught with anxiety."

With each passing week, high-risk families can only let out a small amount of the breath they've been holding. "Even the universal mile marker of the end the first trimester does not give relief," says Kaycoff—because these families have often learned through bitter experience that problems can occur at any time. "Until the baby is born and the toes and fingers are counted, [they may feel] like they can't let their guard down."

That's why a level of comfort with your healthcare provider is also crucial, says Dr. Robert Atlas, MD, chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland. "We try to let patients know that if they have concerns, they should make them known to us," says Atlas, who notes that being seen by a healthcare provider at regular intervals and having their symptoms taken seriously can be very reassuring.