Snow is expected on Monday, Jan. 26. Boston Medical Center will remain open with normal hours. Please contact your clinic if you need to reschedule your appointment. Our phone lines will be open starting at 6:30 a.m. on Monday.
We provide all pregnancy care for patients, included specialized expertise in caring for pregnant people with the below conditions. We also provide referrals to services such as the Preventive Food Pantry, social work, and more.
7 Conditions
Diabetes
Diabetes is when the body has too much glucose (sugar) due to a disruption in insulin that comes from the pancreas. Insulin regulates the glucose, which is a major source of energy for cells that make up muscles and other tissues, and also feeds brain function. There are different types of diabetes – type 1 (most serious and chronic), type 2 (also chronic), prediabetes (abnormal blood sugar levels), and gestational (affects women who are pregnant). With careful management of medication, diet and exercise, diabetes can be controlled.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a chronic condition where pressure in the arteries that carry blood is elevated. Sustained high blood pressure can cause damage to the body over time and be a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and more. The condition is diagnosed when measured blood pressure is consistently higher than the norm; lifestyle changes, diet and in serious cases, medication are helpful in controlling it.
Lupus is a multisystem autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system attacks normal, healthy tissue. This can cause damage to the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lung, and blood.
High blood pressure during pregnancy, also known as preeclampsia or gestational hypertension, is a condition that can develop at any time during pregnancy.
Pregnancy (gestation) is the condition in which a person carries a fetus in the uterus (single or multiple), generally for 38–40 weeks, until birth. Pregnancy is achieved through natural ways (having unprotected sex) or artificial ways (medical intervention).
Sickle cell disease is a blood disorder where the red blood cells that carry oxygen are curved like a sickle instead of round and soft like a disc. The misshapen cells are sticky, making it hard for blood to flow normally and consequently there is a lack of oxygen in the body, causing possible damage and pain. Sickle cell disease is passed down in families, and more common in people from African and Spanish-speaking regions.
Drug addiction, also called substance use disorder, is a disease that affects a person's brain and behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medication.
