Pre-eclampsia

A very severe pregnancy complication is known as preeclampsia which is dangerous for the mother and the fetus. Symptoms include:

• High blood pressure
• Excess protein in the urine
  • Proteinuria
• Kidney problems
• Very severe headaches
• Vision changes
• Upper abdominal pain
• GI distress – nausea or vomiting
• Decreased urine output
• Thrombocytopenia – lowered platelet count
• Diminished liver function
• Shortness of breath
  • Fluid in the lungs.
• Sudden weight gain and swelling
  • Edema in your face and hands.

This is a potentially fatal complication and women should seek medical attention right away. Causes include:

• Insufficient blood flow to the uterus
• Damage to blood vessels
• Problem with immune system
• Some genes.

A physician will rule out gestational hypertension, chronic hypertension and chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia before diagnosing preeclampsia confirmatively. Moreover, some risk factors include:

• History of preeclampsia
• First pregnancy
• New paternity
• Age – older than 40
• Obesity
• Multiple pregnancies
• Interval between pregnancies – having babies less than 2 years or more than 10 years apart
• History of:
  • Chronic high blood pressure
  • Migraine headaches
  • Type 1 Diabetes
  • Type 2 Diabetes
  • Kidney disease
  • Tendency to develop blood clots
  • Lupus.

The complications are:

• Lack of blood flow to placenta – breathing problem in baby
• Placental abruption – severe abruption, bleeding, life-threatening
• HELLP syndrome
  • Hemolysis
  • Elevated liver enzymes
  • Low platelet count – thrombocytopenia
• Eclampsia
  • Upper right abdominal pain
  • Severe headaches
  • Vision problems
  • Mental status changes
• Cardiovascular disease
  • Eat fruits and vegetables.

Tests and diagnosis:

• Check urine
• Check CBC – platelets
• Check liver enzymes
• Check kidney status
• Rule out pulmonary edema
• Check for neurological symptoms.

Medication:

• Lower blood pressure
• Corticosteroids
• Anticonvulsants
• Bed rest
• Hospitalization
• Delivery – emergency C-section.

Prevention:

• Low-dose aspirin
• Calcium supplements
• Educate.

Women who reside in Denver should visit the Denver Holistic Center for more information and to prevent any lethal complications.