High-Risk Pregnancy – Dr David Krones

Obstetrics

High-Risk Pregnancy

A pregnancy described as "high-risk" simply means it benefits from additional monitoring and expertise. The right team and the right plan make all the difference — and most high-risk pregnancies still end in a safe and healthy birth.

Tertiary Training at Royal North Shore and Royal Hospital for Women, Sydney
One Obstetrician managing your care from first visit through to birth
MDT Coordinated specialist input whenever additional expertise is needed
High-risk does not mean high-fear

Most pregnancies described as high-risk still result in a safe and healthy birth. The label means more monitoring and planning — not a worse outcome.

Some pregnancies need closer surveillance, multidisciplinary input or specialist coordination. This may be because of an existing medical condition, a complication that develops during pregnancy, or a previous obstetric history that increases the risk of recurrence. Continuity of care with an experienced obstetrician is particularly valuable in this setting.

Common reasons for high-risk pregnancy care


Advanced maternal age Increased surveillance and screening from the first trimester
Diabetes Pre-existing or gestational diabetes requiring close monitoring
Hypertension & pre-eclampsia Chronic or pregnancy-related high blood pressure
Multiple pregnancy Twins or higher-order pregnancies with additional complexity
Previous pregnancy complications Preterm birth, growth restriction, stillbirth or recurrent miscarriage
Medical conditions Cardiac, renal, autoimmune, thyroid or mental health conditions
Higher body mass index Increased monitoring and individualised birth planning
Placental issues Placenta praevia, accreta spectrum or other placental abnormalities
Fetal anomalies Suspected or confirmed fetal structural or chromosomal concerns

How high-risk pregnancy care differs


Care is adapted and intensified based on the specific risks involved — no two plans are the same.

01
More frequent visits

Antenatal appointments are scheduled more regularly and tailored to the nature of the specific risk, rather than following a standard low-risk schedule.

02
Additional ultrasound surveillance

Growth scans, Doppler studies and cervical length measurements where indicated, to monitor fetal and placental wellbeing throughout.

03
Closer clinical monitoring

Blood pressure, blood glucose and other key parameters tracked more closely, with early thresholds for escalation.

04
Multidisciplinary input

Coordinated involvement of maternal-fetal medicine, endocrinology, cardiology, anaesthetics and others as required for your specific situation.

05
Individualised birth planning

Careful planning around timing and mode of delivery, based on your clinical picture and personal preferences.

06
Coordinated postnatal care

Attention to postnatal recovery, recurrence risk, and planning for any future pregnancies.

Dr Krones' background in high-risk obstetrics


An unusually broad training pathway, built through some of Sydney's most demanding obstetric environments.

Royal North Shore Hospital

Specialist obstetric and gynaecology training within the RNSH Network — one of NSW's most well regarded tertiary referral hospitals — including a year as Senior Registrar managing the most complex cases in northern Sydney.

Royal Hospital for Women

Further Fellowship training at one of Australia's foremost centres for complex obstetric and gynaecological care, with extensive exposure to high-risk pregnancy management.

Academic involvement

Active teaching roles at the University of Sydney and UNSW keep clinical practice closely connected to current evidence and evolving best practice in obstetric care.

Specialist hospital support

Both North Shore Private and The Mater are supported by paediatric, anaesthetic and intensive care services well suited to higher-risk deliveries, with close working relationships with MFM specialists.

Dr Krones' Approach

Thorough, calm and consistently present


The aim is straightforward: thorough, calm and individualised care that anticipates problems early and explains them clearly. Most women describe a high-risk pregnancy as emotionally as well as medically demanding.

Having one obstetrician who knows your full story from the first consultation through to the postnatal review is, for many families, the most valuable part of the experience.

Book a consultation


Dr Krones consults at Level 3, Suite 3A, North Shore Private Hospital, St Leonards, with operating privileges at North Shore Private Hospital and The Mater Hospital, Crows Nest.

A valid GP or specialist referral is required for all new appointments.

02 9053 1245