Pre-eclampsia what you should know

What is pre-eclampsia?

Pre-eclampsia or also known as high pressure it is a complication of pregnancy which causes arterial hypertension, also damage to the kidneys and other organs, besides bringing many complications during this stage that we will talk about next.

It affects around the 5% of pregnant women usually after the 20th week of gestation, sometimes their progress is slow and in other cases it appears abruptly at the end of the pregnancy and it is a potentially life-threatening condition.

Pre-eclampsia symptoms

Pre-eclampsia they do not always have the same symptoms because they can vary from one woman to another.

Some are swelling from fluid retention, nausea, considerable weight gain, these look a lot like the normal symptoms of pregnancy that is why we must recognize the warning signs of this condition.

An exaggerated swelling in the face or around the eyes, staying with the hands very swollen, also the sudden swelling of the feet and ankles, the excessive weight gain more than normal at this time, abdominal pain, severe headaches, changes in vision, accelerated pulse, mental confusion and respiratory distress are warning signs of Pre-eclampsia severe and we must go immediately to our doctor.

Pre-eclampsia pregnancy

Pre-eclampsia what you should know

It is a condition of pregnant women, only occurs at this stage. It is characterized by the appearance of arterial hypertension during pregnancy that damages the kidneys causing protein loss in the urine.

What causes pre-eclampsia in pregnancy?

The cause is still unknown and what causes Pre-eclampsia in pregnant women, but if it is believed that there are some factors such as diet, autoimmune disorders, vascular problems or genetic predisposition may be factors that cause Pre-eclampsia

It is still unknown why this happens to some women and not others, it may not be a single explanation, it could also be due to certain underlying diseases and the way in which the immune system reacts to pregnancy and nutrition.

It is important during this stage to maintain a balanced diet and to feed ourselves properly.

Some risk factors are obesity, waiting for two or more babies, being younger than 20 or more than 35, having a close relative who has had Pre-eclampsia to example the mother, the grandmother or an aunt.

Also, if we have any medical condition such as chronic hypertension, diabetes, kidney disease, certain blood coagulation disorders such as thrombophilia could help the onset of the disease.

What are the complications of pre-eclampsia?

If left unchecked and treated, they can lead to serious complications that could endanger the mother and child.

Hepatic or renal failure and cardiovascular problems can be some of the complications.

In addition to damage the kidneys it also harms other organs such as the liver, the brain and the blood itself.

Eclampsia is another of its complications, this is a serious form of Pre-eclampsia which leads to seizures in the mother.

HELLP syndrome (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelet count) usually appears in the late stage of pregnancy that affects the breakdown of red blood cells such as blood clots, and liver function for the pregnant woman, affects 1 of each 1000 pregnant.

In the case of the baby, pre-eclampsia it can prevent the placenta from getting enough blood. If this happens, the child receives less oxygen and food, which would be a danger to the fetus since at birth it could have a very low weight.

Consequences of Pre-eclampsia

Premature birth: The Pre-eclampsia during pregnancy can accelerate the birth of the baby

Detachment of the placenta: if the placenta falls off it stops fulfilling its functions as they are the food and the correct nutrition of the baby, a very important symptom that indicates the detachment of the placenta is the presence of vaginal bleeding, usually occurs in week number 20 of the pregnancy.

If the connection between the mother and the fetus is interfered with, it is very difficult for the baby to grow up healthy and strong in the womb.

Pregnancy with IUGR syndrome: pregnant women suffering from this syndrome lack a good growth of the womb which hinders the growth of the fetus.

The most horrible and painful consequence of this disease is the death of the mother or child, this can be avoided if we treat it properly and with caution.

Treatment of Pre-eclampsia

The treatment of the disease depends on how close you are to giving birth. Usually if you are near the date of delivery and the baby is sufficiently developed the doctor will want to induce labor as soon as possible.

In the case that a Pre-eclampsia mild and the fetus has not fully developed the doctor will surely recommend rest, do not do strength, increase prenatal checkups, include more protein in your diet and drink about 9 glasses of water daily.

If Pre-eclampsia it is serious the doctor will order the same care mentioned above and also try to administer blood pressure medication until the pregnancy progresses and can give birth safely.

How to prevent pre-eclampsia

It is important to go with responsibility to each medical check that corresponds to you during this stage since in them the doctor will control your blood pressure, urine levels and can order blood tests that show if there is any problem related to this disease. The best prevention for pre-eclapmsia is to receive prenatal care during pregnancy and attend all consultations.

There is still no sure way to prevent the disease, but there are some measures that can help to prevent arterial hypertension.

The consumption of alcoholic beverages should be avoided

Decrease or eliminate salt completely

Avoid coffee or drinks that contain caffeine

Drink a lot of water

Rest and position your legs several times during the day