Navigating Complications During Pregnancy

Dr. Nicole Scott with the Coleman Center for Women at IU Health University Hospital talks about identifying and addressing complications during pregnancy.

Tashay Odle was 20 weeks pregnant when an irregular heartbeat was detected during a routine prenatal visit. She was sent directly to Riley Hospital for a fetal echocardiography. Similar to an ultrasound, the test is designed to determine cardiac distress.

“I wasn’t so nervous about the baby but I was nervous there was a second baby,” said Odle, 26. The reason she wasn’t nervous she said is because she trusted her physician, Dr. Nicole Scott.

The mother of one son, Tavion, delivered by another physician at University Hospital, Odle said starting with a new doctor during her second pregnancy was a little different at first. “But Dr. Scott answered all of my questions and made me feel totally comfortable,” said Odle. “I love that IU Health has online questions and answers. It’s so much easier than leaving a voice mail and waiting for a call back. Dr. Scott always asks me first thing, ‘how are things going. Do you have any concerns?’”

Dr. Scott talks about typical concerns and how to address them:

• In the first trimester miscarriage is most common and relevant. One in four pregnancies end in miscarriage. We want to be sure we hear a strong heartbeat. If there’s bleeding we may also be concerned that there is a complication. The benefit for moms coming to IU Health is that we have some of the best high-risk doctors and pediatricians in the country right next door to assist and assess.
• In the second trimester we also offer genetic screening. We have the abilities to look into and follow up further if there are known complications.
• In the third trimester we see moms more often because there are potentially more complications such as high blood pressure or diabetes. We also want to keep a close eye on how the baby is developing. This is the time mom usually has normal anxiety over delivery and pain management. We also talk about breastfeeding.
• How does she help alleviate a patient’s fears? “I think it depends on the patient. Most patients just want to know that their baby is healthy. We talk about reasons to induce or not induce and different types of pain management. As the mother of a nine- and seven-year-old I have the privilege of having my own kids and experiences to draw on. Even though every patient and every delivery is different, it’s still nice to be able to relate to them as a mom.”

-- T.J. Banes, tfender1@iuhealth.org