Preeclampsia and eclampsia

What is preeclampsia?

Preeclampsia is a condition that begins during pregnancy, usually after the 20th week. However, the symptoms and signs of preeclampsia might continue after delivery, and seldom the condition might not be recognized until after the baby is born. A woman with preeclampsia gets high blood pressure and she has usually protein in her urine, and she often has swelling of the legs, hands, face, or entire body.When preeclampsia becomes severe, it can cause dangerous complications for the mother and the fetus. One of these complications is eclampsia.

symptoms

Fortunately, not all women who have preeclampsia will go on to develop eclampsia.

There are some signs and symptoms seen in preeclampsia that are associated with a greater risk of seizures. These include:

• Abnormal blood test (specifically elevated liver enzymes and low platelet count)
• Headaches
• Very high blood pressure (anything over 140/90 is considered a hypertensive condition)
• Vision changes, such as spots or blurry vision.

 not every woman with preeclampsia will develop eclampsia. When preeclampsia turns into eclampsia, the following symptoms are typically present:

• Seizures
• Muscle aches and pains
• Severe agitation
• Unconsciousness

Your chances of getting preeclampsia increase when:

• You are 35 or older.
• This is your first pregnancy.
• You have diabetes, high blood pressure, or kidney disease.
• You are having more than 1 baby (such as twins or triplets).
• You are a teen.

Most women will have these symptoms of preeclampsia before the seizure:

• Headaches
• Nausea and vomiting
• Stomach pain
• Swelling of the hands and face
• Vision problems, such as loss of vision, blurred vision, double vision, or missing areas in the visual field

Treatment

Treatment depends on how close you are to your due date. If you are close to your due date, and the baby is developed enough, your health care provider will probably want to deliver your baby as soon as possible.
If you have a mild case and your baby has not reached full development, your doctor will probably recommend you do the following:

• Rest, lying on your left side to take the weight of the baby off your major blood vessels.
• Increase prenatal checkups.
• Consume less salt
• Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day
• Change your diet to include more protein

You may be given medicine to prevent seizures. These medicines are called anticonvulsants.

Your provider may give medicine to lower high blood pressure. If your blood pressure stays high, delivery may be needed, even if it is before the baby is due.

How can I prevent preeclampsia:

Currently, there is no sure way to prevent preeclampsia. Some contributing factors to high blood pressure can be controlled and some can’t. Follow your doctor’s instruction about diet and exercise.

• Use little or no added salt in your meals
• Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day
• Don’t eat a lot of fried foods and junk food
• Get enough rest
• Exercise regularly
• Elevate your feet several times during the day
• Avoid drinking alcohol
• Avoid beverages containing caffeine
• Your doctor may suggest you take the prescribed medicine and additional supplements