Sarcouncil Journal of Medical Sciences

Abstract: Background: Pregnancy is the time when a fetus grows in the uterus. High-risk pregnancies involve conditions that raise the chance of complications for the mother, baby, or both. Though only 10–30% of pregnancies fall into this category, they cause 70–80% of perinatal health issues and deaths. Aim: This study aims to examine the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents to gain insights into their background and context. It also seeks to identify medical, obstetric and other related complications that contribute to high-risk pregnancies among them. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study using a quantitative approach was conducted to assess the prevalence of high-risk pregnancy at a public hospital in Dhaka. The study included 90 pregnant women attending the antenatal care unit at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College & Hospital during the data collection period. Only pregnant women present at the outpatient department were included, while non-pregnant or absent individuals were excluded. Results: This study involved 90 pregnant women aged under 18 to over 35, with nearly half aged 24–29. Most had a height of ≥145 cm, and common weight ranges were 51–70 kg. The majority were Muslim, had good educational backgrounds (96% literate), and about 42% came from low-income families. Most were married to non-relatives, and 17% had not received TT vaccines. Multiparity was common, with 30% having a third pregnancy. Only 21.11% attended their fourth ANC visit, while many did not take iron (31%) or calcium (33%) supplements. About 32.22% had anemia, 9% hypertension, and 8% diabetes, along with other chronic conditions like asthma, thyroid disease. Nearly 39% had high-risk factors from previous pregnancies, such as abortion or obstructed labor. Current complications affected 18.9%, including issues like abdominal pain and UTIs, with some rare but serious cases like placenta previa and IUGR. Overall, 39% of women had current or past risk factors, highlighting the need for better antenatal screening, care, and education. Recommendation: The study recommends raising awareness about antenatal care, especially in rural and slum areas, and calls for regular monitoring of high-risk pregnancies to guide resource allocation. It highlights the need to educate adolescents and pregnant women on nutrition and healthy habits. Key risk factors identified include anemia, cesarean delivery, abortion, and high salt intake, with links to weight, income, TT vaccination, and supplement use. Conclusion: Addressing these issues through targeted policies and regional health interventions is crucial to reduce maternal and neonatal complications in Bangladesh.