What is preeclampsia?
Preeclampsia is a serious condition that usually starts after 20 weeks of pregnancy, in most cases symptoms start in the third trimester. Sometimes, it can occur after baby is born. It is a life threatening condition both for Mom and baby if left untreated.
How common is preeclampsia?
Preeclampsia occurs in approximately 2% to 8% of pregnancies worldwide, and the cases of preeclampsia in the United States match the global percentages.
Who is at risk?
Certain factors can increase your chance of developing preeclampsia:
• Having had preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy.
• Being pregnant with more than one baby (like twins or triplets).
• Having chronic high blood pressure (before pregnancy).
• Having Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes before pregnancy.
• Having kidney disease.
• Having certain autoimmune disorders (like lupus).
• Obesity (having a high BMI).
• This being your first pregnancy.
• Being 35 years old or older, or being very young (under 15).
• Having a family history of preeclampsia (like your mother or sister had it).
• Using in vitro fertilization.
• Race or ethnicity (studies show a higher risk for Black women and Indigenous women in North America, though this may be linked to differences in healthcare access and social factors).
What causes preeclampsia?
We don’t know what causes preeclampsia. There are theories but nothing definitive. Inadequate blood volume expansion may be a cause or contributing factor. Research indicates impaired blood flow to the placenta is a possible cause. The impaired blood flow could be caused by an issue with the placenta itself, or the mother may have heart problems that are made worse by the demands of pregnancy.
What are the symptoms of preeclampsia?
• Severe headaches that don't go away with regular pain medicine.
• Changes in your vision, like blurry vision, seeing spots, or being sensitive to light.
• Pain in your upper belly, usually under your ribs on the right side.
• Shortness of breath, which can be caused by fluid building up in your lungs.
• Nausea or vomiting that's worse than typical morning sickness.
• Sudden weight gain or swelling in your face and hands (some swelling in feet is normal during pregnancy, but sudden, noticeable swelling can be a red flag).
Other signs providers look for include low levels of blood cells called platelets (thrombocytopenia), or higher-than-normal liver enzymes or kidney problems shown in blood tests.
What is the treatment for preeclampsia?
The only way to truly stop or "cure" preeclampsia is to deliver the baby. However, the timing of delivery depends on how severe the preeclampsia is and how far along the pregnancy is.
Before delivery, management often includes:
• Medications to lower blood pressure: Common choices are labetalol, nifedipine, and hydralazine.
• Magnesium sulfate to prevent seizures: This medication is very important for preventing eclampsia (seizures related to preeclampsia) and is often given intravenously.
If preeclampsia is severe or the mother or baby's health worsens, early delivery may be recommended, sometimes even before the baby is full-term.
What can I do to decrease my risk of preeclampsia?
Since we are unsure what causes preeclampsia, we can’t definitively say what lowers the risk. The consensus is to eat nutrient dense foods, eat enough protein to support your pregnancy, exercise on a regular basis and have regular prenatal care.
Sources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/preeclampsia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355745
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK570611/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/preeclampsia-and-eclampsia-a-to-z
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9962022/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37762960/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9962022/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10779413/
Preeclampsia is a serious condition that usually starts after 20 weeks of pregnancy, in most cases symptoms start in the third trimester. Sometimes, it can occur after baby is born. It is a life threatening condition both for Mom and baby if left untreated.
How common is preeclampsia?
Preeclampsia occurs in approximately 2% to 8% of pregnancies worldwide, and the cases of preeclampsia in the United States match the global percentages.
Who is at risk?
Certain factors can increase your chance of developing preeclampsia:
• Having had preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy.
• Being pregnant with more than one baby (like twins or triplets).
• Having chronic high blood pressure (before pregnancy).
• Having Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes before pregnancy.
• Having kidney disease.
• Having certain autoimmune disorders (like lupus).
• Obesity (having a high BMI).
• This being your first pregnancy.
• Being 35 years old or older, or being very young (under 15).
• Having a family history of preeclampsia (like your mother or sister had it).
• Using in vitro fertilization.
• Race or ethnicity (studies show a higher risk for Black women and Indigenous women in North America, though this may be linked to differences in healthcare access and social factors).
What causes preeclampsia?
We don’t know what causes preeclampsia. There are theories but nothing definitive. Inadequate blood volume expansion may be a cause or contributing factor. Research indicates impaired blood flow to the placenta is a possible cause. The impaired blood flow could be caused by an issue with the placenta itself, or the mother may have heart problems that are made worse by the demands of pregnancy.
What are the symptoms of preeclampsia?
• Severe headaches that don't go away with regular pain medicine.
• Changes in your vision, like blurry vision, seeing spots, or being sensitive to light.
• Pain in your upper belly, usually under your ribs on the right side.
• Shortness of breath, which can be caused by fluid building up in your lungs.
• Nausea or vomiting that's worse than typical morning sickness.
• Sudden weight gain or swelling in your face and hands (some swelling in feet is normal during pregnancy, but sudden, noticeable swelling can be a red flag).
Other signs providers look for include low levels of blood cells called platelets (thrombocytopenia), or higher-than-normal liver enzymes or kidney problems shown in blood tests.
What is the treatment for preeclampsia?
The only way to truly stop or "cure" preeclampsia is to deliver the baby. However, the timing of delivery depends on how severe the preeclampsia is and how far along the pregnancy is.
Before delivery, management often includes:
• Medications to lower blood pressure: Common choices are labetalol, nifedipine, and hydralazine.
• Magnesium sulfate to prevent seizures: This medication is very important for preventing eclampsia (seizures related to preeclampsia) and is often given intravenously.
If preeclampsia is severe or the mother or baby's health worsens, early delivery may be recommended, sometimes even before the baby is full-term.
What can I do to decrease my risk of preeclampsia?
Since we are unsure what causes preeclampsia, we can’t definitively say what lowers the risk. The consensus is to eat nutrient dense foods, eat enough protein to support your pregnancy, exercise on a regular basis and have regular prenatal care.
Sources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/preeclampsia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355745
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK570611/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/preeclampsia-and-eclampsia-a-to-z
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9962022/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37762960/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9962022/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10779413/
RSS Feed