Yahoo Lifestyle Dealing with pre-eclampsia
Pre-eclampsia is a form of high blood pressure that only happens in pregnancy. While one in 10 pregnancies are complicated by high blood pressure, of these cases only about three to four per cent involve pre-eclampsia.
To officially be diagnosed with the condition, you must have high blood pressure that comes on after 20 weeks’ gestation, plus one of the following complications: protein in the urine (a sign that your kidneys have been affected), other signs in the blood that your liver or kidneys have been affected, blood problems (usually clotting problems), problems of the nervous system (headaches, drowsiness or even fits) or problems with your baby’s growth.
What causes it?
We still don’t know exactly why pre-eclampsia happens, although we know that genes (bub’s as much as yours) definitely play a role. So if your mum had it, or your partner’s mum had it while pregnant with him, you’ re more likely to get it. Many doctors also think the immune system plays a role because pre-eclampsia is much more common in first pregnancies and also in first pregnancies to new partners.
Other women who are more prone to pre-eclampsia include women over 35, those pregnant with twins or higher multiples and women who’ve previously had kidney problems, diabetes or high blood pressure. It’s also more common in women pregnant using donor eggs and/or sperm.
Symptoms can be vague, if you experience any at all. Swelling might make your face and ankles puffy, but a little swelling is normal in pregnancy and very few women with swelling will have pre-eclampsia. Sudden weight gain, usually due to fluid retention, can be another sign. Other symptoms more commonly appear later in the course of the illness, when you’re likely to have already been diagnosed. These symptoms will depend on which organs are affected and can include headaches, blurred vision, tummy aches (especially on the right, under the ribs, from liver problems), peeing less and nausea and vomiting.
Managing pre-eclampsia
If you’re one of the women at higher risk, taking a daily low-dose of aspirin can reduce the odds of full-blown pre-eclampsia by about 15 per cent. Taking a calcium supplement of about 1000mg a day is also helpful, at least for women who don’t have much calcium in their diet. Speak to your doctor about both of these. At-risk women are also encouraged, the same as all other pregnant ladies, to eat a healthy diet and cut out vices such as cigarettes and alcohol.
If you do get a high blood pressure reading at a visit with your doctor, she’ll do some tests to see whether you fulfil the criteria for pre-eclampsia. These will include a urine test, blood tests to check out your blood system, kidneys and liver, and an ultrasound to check on your baby.
Management of the condition will focus on keeping you healthy until such a time that your baby can be safely delivered, which is ultimately the only cure. Meanwhile, there are loads of blood pressure medications that are perfectly safe to use in pregnancy. These won’t cure the condition, but will help stop it from progressing and causing further problems for you and your baby. Getting plenty of rest is important, too. Despite these measures, if the disease gets more serious you’ll need to be admitted to hospital to be closely monitored.
A particular complication to be aware of is ‘HELLP’. This condition, which includes breakdown of blood and platelets as well as liver problems, happens in 10 to 20 per cent of women who have pre-eclampsia and requires specialist management.
Welcoming bub
If you’re 37 weeks pregnant or beyond, if your baby is distressed or not growing, if your blood pressure is out of control, or your liver, blood or kidneys start to deteriorate, your baby will need to be delivered early. Most doctors recommend delivery by caesarean, as labour is a critical time for women with pre-eclampsia. The most feared complication, eclampsia, which includes fitting, is more common during labour.
The condition can continue up to six weeks after bub is born, so doctors will keep a close eye on you after the delivery. It’s also important to look after yourself as you start your new life with your little one. Women who have suffered from pre-eclampsia have a much higher risk of developing heart disease and stroke later in life, so now will be the time to start living healthier.
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