# Pregnancy Complication coding



## tiwarialok580 (Aug 3, 2016)

Hi Coders,

I have couple of doubts about pregnancy complication coding. 
When physician doesn't mention any complication and patient is taking any medication related to her Chronic disease. So, just because patient is taking medication, do we code the disease on medication, as complication of pregnancy?

For example: the patient's chronic disease is Asthma, and patient is using Albuterol inhaler, do we code this as complication even though provider mentioned nothing about it? 
How do we code chronic conditions like HTN, Diabetes, GERD, OA and so on, even though if we don't find ongoing medication for some of the diseases. Do we still code them as complication of pregnancy, please? 

Thank you all for your support.


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## JPEPE313 (Aug 4, 2016)

*Ob coding*

Diseases like Hypertension and Diabetes you have to look in the patients record to find if it was a pre-existing condition or pregnancy induced.  These two conditions are coded under pregnancy complications because they (or their respective treatments) can have a direct affect on the fetus.

prior DM
DM1 IN CHILDBIRTH	O2402, Z794
DM2 IN CHILDBIRTH	O2412

pregnancy induced DM
GDM	O24429
GDM INSULIN DEP	O02414

prior HTN
PREV HTN	O1092

pregnancy induced HTN
O13x

Other conditions such as asthma and obesity, OA, GERD, do not have an immediate and direct affect on the fetus.  I personally look for indication in the patient record from the doctor that they are causing a complication.  Otherwise, I will list them as comorbidities.

Hope this helps!


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## danskangel313 (Aug 4, 2016)

I agree with what the last person posted. I'll also add that in some circumstances, there is no need to code for something that isn't relevant to the situation, unless the doctor has indicated that it is noteworthy.

I have asthma and use an inhaler PRN, but it was never used as a diagnosis in any of my OB encounters UNTIL I started having symptoms (increased use towards the end of my pregnancy). Although my doctor decided there were no complications, every visit afterwards included an asthma diagnosis as it had become relevant to my situation, not as a complication, but as an "issue" if you will that arose.


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## tiwarialok580 (Sep 7, 2016)

JPEPE313 said:


> Diseases like Hypertension and Diabetes you have to look in the patients record to find if it was a pre-existing condition or pregnancy induced.  These two conditions are coded under pregnancy complications because they (or their respective treatments) can have a direct affect on the fetus.
> 
> prior DM
> DM1 IN CHILDBIRTH	O2402, Z794
> ...




Thank you very much for your reply. It is really informative.

Now, when I know that HTN and Diavetes are such conditions which are coded as complication of pregnancy even if the provider is not mentioning it as complication. May I know if there are some other condtions which are coded as complication of pregnancy by default, please?


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