Support Resources

High Risk OB
You may be referred to a high-risk obstetrician for Preeclampsia and HELLP Syndrome. A high-risk obstetrician is there to provide women who have pregnancy complications with care to guide them. They will help you understand the risks, monitor your pregnancy and provide guidance on care if needed for you and your baby.

Therapy for birth trauma
Between 25 and 34 percent of women report that their births were traumatic. A traumatic birth experience is defined by circumstances in which the individual patient believes her life or that of her baby’s was in danger, or that a serious threat to the mother’s or her baby’s physical or emotional integrity existed. (www.pattch.org)
Stress caused by a traumatic pregnancy and delivery can often override the ability to emotionally cope, leading to psychiatric complications such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), postpartum depression (PPD), and postpartum anxiety (PPA). Suffering a serious illness, combined with an unexpected caesarean section, birth of a premature child, or infant loss, is a heavy burden to bear both physically and psychologically. Ask your medical team for a referral.
Visit https://pattch.org/birth-trauma-resources/ for online resources, books, podcast and helpful resources.

Heart Specialist
Experiencing a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy increases risk for cardiovascular disease in later life. For more information on heart conditions, in-particular hypertension go to https://www.ottawaheart.ca/heart-condition/hypertension.