What Is Preeclampsia? Preeclampsia is defined as the presence of protein in your urine and high blood pressure occurring after the 20th week of your pregnancy. The condition affects about 5 to 8 percent of all pregnancies. In the United States, preeclampsia rarely causes the death of a mother or infant, but worldwide pregnancy-induced high blood pressure still causes 76,000 maternal deaths and 500,000 infant deaths every year. The cause of preeclampsia remains a mystery. We do know that you are at higher risk if you have gestational diabetes, a family history of preeclampsia, are overweight, or if you had high blood pressure or kidney disease before your pregnancy. Preeclampsia is more common during your first pregnancy, if you are carrying twins, and if you are over age 40 or a teenage mother. What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Preeclampsia? The signs and symptoms of preeclampsia are caused by the sudden increase in your blood pressure, retention of fluids in your body, and kidney damage that allows proteins to pass into your urine.
High blood pressure. You may have high blood pressure during your pregnancy without swelling or protein in your urine, so high blood pressure alone doesn’t mean you have preeclampsia. Your doctor may suspect preeclampsia if you have a sudden increase in blood pressure after your 20th week of pregnancy. Some symptoms related to high blood pressure include headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, or ringing in your ears.Fluid retention. Some swelling is normal in pregnancy, but if your swelling doesn’t go away with rest or if you are retaining enough fluid to cause a gain of five pounds in one week, it may be a sign of preeclampsia. Fluid retention can be experienced as tightness of your shoes or your rings and is usually most notable in your hands and face.Laboratory signs. Your kidneys normally filter out waste products from your blood but keep important proteins in. Your doctor will check your urine for proteins, as this is one of the most important signs of preeclampsia. Other lab findings may include elevations of your liver enzymes and decreased numbers of blood clotting cells. These can be measured by blood tests.Other symptoms. Abdominal pain, agitation, nausea and vomiting, fever, decreased amounts of urine or blood in the urine, drowsiness, and sudden loss of vision can all be symptoms of preeclampsia.
Treating Preeclampsia Untreated preeclampsia can prevent your baby from getting enough blood and nourishment through the placenta in your womb. Preeclampsia can also lead to eclampsia, which is high blood pressure plus seizures, a very serious condition for both you and your baby.
Delivery. The only cure for preeclampsia is delivering your baby. There is an increased chance that your doctor will induce labor to help you deliver and there is an increased likelihood of having to deliver by cesarean section. These decisions will be made by you and your doctor based on your symptoms, your health, and the baby’s health. If you have severe preeclampsia, delivery is the best treatment after 32 weeks of your pregnancy. If your doctors can control your preeclampsia, it is best to wait until 37 weeks.Before delivery. Managing your preeclampsia until it is safe for your baby to be delivered may involve bed rest, medications to control your blood pressure, and sometimes hospitalization. It will be necessary for your doctors to closely monitor your blood pressure, weight, urine, and the baby. Calcium and aspirin have been found to be of benefit during this time, and your doctor may also prescribe magnesium sulfate to prevent the seizures of eclampsia.
The key to a healthy pregnancy if you have pregnancy-induced high blood pressure is good medical care and monitoring. The good news is that most women who have gestational diabetes or gestational diabetes complicated by preeclampsia are still able to deliver healthy babies. There is no way to completely prevent these conditions of pregnancy, but being aware of the risk factors and knowing the symptoms can help you and your doctor identify these conditions early and start working together toward a successful pregnancy for you and your baby.
