What is Preeclampsia?
While pregnancy is usually a healthy and normal process, certain health conditions can sometimes arise, like preeclampsia and eclampsia, that need to be monitored by your healthcare team.
What is preeclampsia?
Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-specific complication that is characterized by high blood pressure, swelling of body parts such as hands and feet, and protein in the urine. It usually occurs after the 20th week of pregnancy.
It can occur in any pregnant woman. Risk factors for preeclampsia include:
- History of preeclampsia in previous pregnancies
- History of preeclampsia in family like mother or sister
- Underlying conditions like obesity and hypertension
- First pregnancy
- History of autoimmune disease
- Twin or triplet pregnancy
Sometimes, the condition might also occur without the above-mentioned risk factors.
What does preeclampsia do to the baby?
While preeclampsia primarily affects the mother, it can also have adverse effects on the baby. These can include:
- Premature delivery
- Impaired fetal growth
- In rare cases, other serious risks
Infants born to mothers with preeclampsia are sometimes more likely to face future health problems such as learning problems, epilepsy, and cerebral palsy.
What are the signs/symptoms?
Preeclampsia can be mild to severe, affecting the range of symptoms experienced by the mother. Women with mild preeclampsia may not experience any symptoms at all. Whereas women with moderate to severe disease can experience symptoms like:
- Headache
- Blurring of vision
- Blacking out
- Nausea and vomiting
- Upper abdominal pain
In severe cases, preeclampsia can progress to a more serious condition called eclampsia, which includes the above symptoms along with possible seizures and coma.
Is this considered a high-risk pregnancy?
Yes, pregnant women with preeclampsia need close monitoring to control their symptoms. Their blood pressure and urinary protein are routinely checked for reduction. If symptoms aren’t controlled, some patients may be admitted to a hospital to ensure their and their baby’s health.
If the condition does not improve and worsens, then the only solution is to deliver the baby to protect both the mother and baby.
How do you treat this?
The treatment for preeclampsia depends on how severe it is.
For mild, non-symptomatic cases, treatment usually involves regular monitoring of blood pressure and urine protein. You may also be given medication to lower your blood pressure.
If the condition is severe, you may be hospitalized for IV medication to lower your blood pressure. Depending on how early you are in your pregnancy, you may be given steroids to develop your baby’s lungs in case you need to deliver early. If the condition does not stabilize, delivering the baby may be the only option to prevent serious health repercussions for the mother.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out!