High-Risk Pregnancy Doula
A high-risk pregnancy can bring uncertainty, but it doesn’t mean you have to navigate it alone. At Elgin Doula, we specialize in supporting families through complex pregnancies, ensuring that you remain informed, empowered, and cared for every step of the way.
We love love LOVE helping women with high-risk pregnancies STILL have educated & empowered births. It’s a Doula sub-specialty that Lexi Zuo, Owner, CEO, Birth Doula & Lactation Counselor fell into after experiencing 4 high-risk pregnancies and births herself.
For many women, there is a fear that if your pregnancy starts high-risk or later becomes high-risk all your options and choices fly out the window. Nothing could be further from the truth!!
In fact, many families find that they receive even more personalized care through a combination of Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) specialists, OBs, and midwives. By adding our Doula Support to your team, you gain an additional layer of compassionate guidance, education, and advocacy tailored to your unique needs. Evidence shows having a Doula at your birth can go a long way in creating a more positive birth environment and reducing the risk of unnecessary interventions.
You really can still have a beautiful pregnancy and birth experience… even if you are high-risk! You deserve a birth experience that reflects your needs, even in the face of medical challenges. We understand that high-risk pregnancies come with additional monitoring, tests, and decisions, and we are here to guide you through them.
Below is a list of the high-risk pregnancy & birth conditions I’ve supported over the last few years in private practice.
High-Risk Maternal Health Conditions:
Advanced-Maternal Age
Higher-BMI/ Plus Size Moms
'Asthma
Addison’s Disease
Hastimoto’s Thyroiditis
Hypothyroidism
Positional Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
Fibromyalgia
Reynaud’s Syndrome
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Uterine Fibroids
Bicornuate Uterus (2 uteruses)
Factor 3 & Factor 5 Blood Clotting Disorders
Anti-Phospholipid Antibody Syndrome (APS)
Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP)
Epidermal Nervous Syndrome (ENS)
Endometriosis
Type 1 & Type 2 Diabetes
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Abnormal Pelvic Structures
Lupus
Vaginismus
Anxiety & Depression
PTSD
Sexual and/or Medical Trauma Histories
History of STDs
Past drug addictions
Life-threatening allergies to narcotics
Life-threatening allergies to all numbing agents
High-Risk Prenatal & Birth Conditions:
Preeclampsia
Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG)
Gestational Hypertension
Gestational Diabetes
Kidney Failure
COVID
Mono-Di Identical Twins
Di-Di Fraternal Twins
Suspected Fetal Stroke
Velemitus Cord-Insertion
Vasa Previa
Bilobed Placenta
Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR)
Pre-PROM & PROM
Induction of Labor
Planned C-section
VBAC
IVF/ART Pregnancies
Shoulder Dystocia
Postpartum Hemorrhage
Planned & Unexpected NICU stays