Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is characterized by high blood pressure, protein in the urine and fluid retention for the first time in the second half of pregnancy. These symptoms do not necessarily appear together. If you have any one of them, it may be a good idea to see your doctor more frequently.
Pregnancy-induced hypertension, or PIH may occur after the 20th week of pregnancy and goes away soon after the baby is born. Preeclampsia and pregnancy-induced hypertension affects about seven out of every 100 pregnant women.
Women with chronic high blood pressure are at increased risk to develop preeclampsia.
Risk Factors
The causes of preeclampsia aren't well understood, but it is known that some women are more at risk than others. You are at increased risk if:
- You have hypertension, kidney disease or diabetes
- You had preeclampsia with a previous pregnancy
- You are carrying more than one baby
- Your mother or sister developed preeclampsia when they were pregnant
- You're a teenager
- This is your first pregnancy
- You are more than 40 years old
- You're overweight
- You're African American
Although smoking has not been associated with an increased incidence of preeclampsia, you should still quit smoking when you become pregnant. Smoking has been associated with low birth-weight and premature babies
Warning Signs of Preeclampsia
You should be alert to the signs of preeclampsia, which usually occur after the 21st week of pregnancy. The only way to minimize risks is to treat it early.
Sometimes the changes in your body may seem subtle or easily confused with what you would experience in a normal pregnancy. It's possible to have signs of this disease for weeks and not know it.
If you notice any of these symptoms, you should call your doctor immediately:
- Sudden weight gain of more than a pound a day
- Swelling of the face and hands. This is a kind of specific swelling, not to be confused with the general swelling many women experience during pregnancy.
- Headache
- Blurred vision or spots in front of the eyes
- Pain in the upper right part of your abdomen.
Treatment
When preeclampsia is mild, the blood pressure rises slightly and if it's kept under control, you are more likely to have a healthy baby. Your doctor may recommend bed rest at home or in the hospital. If the blood pressure stays under control, the pregnancy can continue normally.
When preeclampsia is more serious, multiple vital organs in the mother can be affected, including the liver, kidneys and brain. The blood's ability to clot can be impaired and the most serious cases can result in swelling and bleeding of the brain. Another complication is called the HELLP syndrome (Hemolysis Elevated Liver Enzymes, Low Platelet). Eclampsia and HELLP are life-threatening emergencies.See www.ipass.net for more information about HELLP
Women who have significant preeclampsia are admitted to the hospital where magnesium sulfate is administered to the mother to prevent seizures and the fetus can be monitored. Preterm preeclampsia may require management by a maternal-fetal medicine specialist in a Level III care center.
Although most symptoms of preeclampsia can be managed with medical care, the only real cure is to deliver the baby. Sometimes the baby has to be delivered prematurely. Mothers with preeclampsia are at risk to have babies who are premature and have low birth weight.
To minimize risk to yourself and your baby, work with your doctor to control your blood pressure before your pregnancy, if possible, and after you become pregnant.
Preeclampsia |