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Recognizing Preeclampsia Can Save Your Life

Pregnant? Congratulations! 

There are so many changes you’ve probably already made — you’ve changed your diet, started your prenatal visits with your obstetrician and are thinking about how you’re going to decorate the nursery. This is an exciting time!

It’s also a critical time to keep an eye on your health, both for yourself and your baby.

While millions of Americans already struggle to control their blood pressure, high blood pressure during pregnancy can be especially dangerous, leading to a potentially fatal condition called preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a serious disorder in which high blood pressure begins to wreak havoc on a woman’s organs. It can affect every organ in a woman’s body, eventually leading to organ failure and even death. It can occur both during pregnancy and in the weeks after delivery, causing heart attacks, strokes, seizures, placental abruption and more.

The National Institutes of Health estimate that 3.4 percent of American women will experience preeclampsia during their pregnancies. Researchers are still trying to determine why some women experience preeclampsia and others do not, but risk factors for the condition include:

  • Being pregnant for the first time
  • Having preeclampsia during a prior pregnancy
  • Having a family history of preeclampsia
  • Being age 40 or older while pregnant
  • Carrying multiple babies (twins, triplets, etc.)
  • Having a personal history of hypertension or kidney disease
  • Becoming pregnant through in vitro fertilization

Women with certain health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, lupus or thrombophilia, also tend to be at greater risk for experiencing preeclampsia during their pregnancies, as are women who are obese while pregnant.

While the number of women who experience preeclampsia may sound low, the condition is serious enough that every pregnant woman should be aware of the warning signs of the condition and notify her obstetrician right away if symptoms develop. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), warning signs for preeclampsia include:

  • Swelling of face or hands
  • A headache that will not go away
  • Seeing spots or changes in eyesight
  • Pain in the upper abdomen or shoulder
  • Nausea and vomiting during the second half of pregnancy
  • Sudden weight gain
  • Difficulty breathing

Preeclampsia is such a dangerous condition that it is often necessary to immediately deliver the baby, even if preterm. While obstetrics specialists encourage women to go all the way to 40 weeks of gestation, the threat to the woman’s health and the health of her unborn baby are such that it may be medically necessary to deliver the baby through cesarean delivery

If you experience any of the above symptoms, call your obstetrician’s office right away. He or she may direct you to go to the nearest hospital emergency department for evaluation. Untreated, preeclampsia can lead to serious complications for both the mother and baby, including death.

Maternity Care




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