Preeclampsia
by Ann Butenas0 Comments
Preeclampsia, or pregnancy-induced hypertension, affects about 15 percent of all pregnant women. It is more common in women carrying their first baby, women over the age of 35, and women carrying more than one baby. The reasons for this are not fully known.
According to Dr. Miriam Stoppard in her book Conception, Pregnancy, and Birth, the signs of preeclampsia include "elevated blood pressure, protein in the urine due to kidney malfunction, and swelling (edema) of the face, feet, and hands. The latter is often the first warning sign and will be looked for by your doctor. You may experience headaches and dizziness, and sometimes nausea."
Dr. Stoppard explains that preeclampsia itself rarely happens before the 20th week of pregnancy. Nonetheless, your blood pressure may start to progressively rise prior to this. This is why the checking of your blood pressure at each prenatal visit to your doctor is extremely important. If the condition of preeclampsia develops, you will be put in the hospital for observation.
A rise in blood pressure, coupled with a great increase in fluid retention is usually signs that treatment needs to be undertaken. If mild preeclampsia is left untreated, protein may eventually appear in the urine. The liver and kidneys may not function properly. This may cause the baby to be born prematurely.
There is more danger to the baby than to you when you experience preeclampsia. If the condition is left untreated and progresses, fatty acids and clots may build up in the placenta, which block the arteries and cause the placenta to fail.
According to Sheila Kitzinger in her book, The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth, you are more likely to get preeclampsia if you have any of the following factors: diabetes or kidney disease; high blood pressure prior to conception (140/90 or higher); you are having twins or more; other family members have high blood pressure or have had preeclampsia; you are in your teens or over the age of 40; you are under 5 feet, 3 inches tall; have had preeclampsia with a previous pregnancy; you suffer from migraines.
Preeclampsia is usually treated by bed rest and sedation, with continued monitoring of kidney function. With such treatment, blood pressure typically returns to normal. If your condition does not improve under these methods, the baby will potentially suffer from decreased blood and oxygen flow.
In rare instances, preeclampsia will turn into eclampsia, a very dangerous condition that can cause comas and be life threatening to both the mother and the baby. Fortunately, preeclampsia precedes this condition, acting as an early warning sign. The rigorous treatment of preeclampsia can prevent eclampsia.
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References for this article: Stoppard, Dr. Miriam, 1993. Conception, Pregnancy, and Birth. London: Carroll and Brown, Limited. Kitzinger, Sheila, 1996. The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth. New York: Dorling Kindersley Limited
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