PREECLAMPSIA

PREECLAMPSIA

• Pre-eclampsia
• Preeclampsia is when a pregnant woman develops high blood pressure.
• protein in the urine
• Swelling of the hands and face/eyes (edema)
• Headache that does not go away

PREECLAMPSIA

• Belly pain on the right side, below the ribs
• Irritability
• Nausea and vomiting (worrisome sign)
• Vision changes, including temporary blindness, seeing flashing
• Decreased urine output, not urinating very often

High blood pressure is the leading cause of preeclampsia . Blood pressure is a measurement of the force against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood through your body. Hypertension is another term used to describe high blood pressure.
High blood pressure is usually higher than 140/90 mm/Hg.

Often, women who have preeclampsia do not feel sick. There are signs and tests the doctor can perform to see if you are at risk. Tests will also be done to see how well your blood clots. Monitor the baby's health. The results of a pregnancy ultrasound, non-stress test, and other tests will help your doctor decide whether your baby needs to be delivered immediately. Women who had low blood pressure at the start of their pregnancy, followed by a significant rise in blood pressure need to be watched closely for other signs of preeclampsia.

TREATMENT

The only way to cure preeclampsia is to deliver the baby.

If your baby is not fully developed and you have mild preeclampsia, the disease can often be managed at home until your baby has a good chance of surviving after delivery. The doctor will probably recommend: Bed rest, lying on your left side most or all of the time. Drinking plenty of waterEating less salt Frequent doctor visits to make sure you and your baby are doing well Medicines to lower your blood pressure (sometimes). If your baby is developed enough (usually 37 weeks or later), your doctor may want your baby to be delivered so the preeclampsia does not get worse. You may receive medicines to help trigger labor, or you may need a c-section.

The baby must be delivered if there are signs of severe preeclampia, including: Tests that show your baby is not growing well or is not getting enough blood and oxygen, the bottom number of your blood pressure is over 110 mmHg or is greater than 100 mmHg consistently over a 24-hour period, abnormal liver function test results, severe headaches, pain in the belly area (abdomen), seizures or changes in mental function (eclampsia), fluid in the mother's lungs (pulmonary edema), HELLP syndrome (rare), low platelet count or bleeding, low urine output, a lot of protein in the urine, and other signs that your kidneys aren't working properly.

AFTER DELIVERY

Sign and symptoms of preeclampsia usually go away within 6 weeks after delivery. However, the high blood pressure sometimes get worse the first few days after delivery.
If you have had preeclampsia, you are more likely to develop it again in another pregnancy. However, it is not usually as severe as the first time. If you have high blood pressure during more than one pregnancy, you are more likely to have high blood pressure when you get older. Complications are rare but severe complications for the mother they can include: Bleeding problems, premature separation of the placenta from the uterus before the baby is born, rupture of the liver, stroke and death (rarely).

Prevention

There is no known way to prevent preeclampsia. It is important for all pregnant women to start prenatal care early and continue it through the pregnancy.

References
1. Sibai BM. Hypertension. In: Gabbe SG, Niebyl JR, Simpson JL, et al, eds. Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2012:chap 35.
2. http:/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001900/
3. Board, A.D.A.M. Editorial. "Preeclampsia." Preeclampsia. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 23 Aug. 2012. Web. 25 Aug. 2014.