Preeclampsia: A dangerous and deadly condition

Jul 17, 2016 News

Dr Zulfikar Bux

By Dr. Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine

Preeclampsia is a dangerous condition that some women get when they are pregnant.
It usually happens during the second half of pregnancy (after 20 weeks). It can also happen during labour or after the baby is born. It is one of the main causes of deaths in pregnant mothers in Guyana.
Most often, patients are not aware of their condition and tend to ignore symptoms until it’s too late.
Women with preeclampsia have high blood pressure.
They might also have too much protein in their urine, or problems with organs like the liver, kidneys, or eyes. Plus, the baby might not grow well and be small.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF PREECLAMPSIA?
Most women with preeclampsia do not feel any different than usual. Preeclampsia usually does not cause symptoms unless it is severe. Signs and symptoms of severe preeclampsia include:
. A bad headache
. Changes in vision: blurry vision, flashes of light, spots
. Belly pain, especially in the upper belly
If you have any of these symptoms, tell your doctor.
You might not have preeclampsia, because these symptoms can also occur in normal pregnancies. But it’s important that your doctor knows about them.
You should also call your doctor if you have bleeding from the vagina.

HOW MIGHT PREECLAMPSIA AFFECT MY BABY?
It can:
. Slow the growth of the baby
. Decrease the amount of amniotic fluid around the baby (amniotic fluid is the liquid that surrounds and protects the baby in the uterus)
You should call your doctor if your baby is not moving as much as usual.
Your doctor will do tests to check for any problems with the baby.

IS THERE A TEST FOR PREECLAMPSIA?
Yes. To test for preeclampsia, your doctor will take your blood pressure and check your urine for protein during pregnancy. He or she might also do blood tests to make sure your organs are working as they should.
When your doctor tells you your blood pressure, he or she will say two numbers.
For instance, your doctor might say that your blood pressure is “140 over 90.” To be diagnosed with preeclampsia, your top number (called “systolic pressure”) must be 140 or higher, or your bottom number (called “diastolic pressure”) must be 90 or higher. Plus, you must have either too much protein in your urine or problems with one or more of your organs.
It is possible to have high blood pressure (above 140/90) during pregnancy without having high protein in the urine or other problems. That is not preeclampsia.
Still, if you develop high blood pressure, your doctor will watch you closely. You could develop preeclampsia or other problems related to high blood pressure.

HOW IS PREECLAMPSIA TREATED?
The only cure for preeclampsia is to deliver the baby. Your doctor will decide whether it is better for you to have your baby right away, or to wait.
If you are near your due date, your doctor will probably give you medicine to start contractions. This is called “inducing labour.” Most women are able to give birth the usual way, through the vagina. But in some cases the doctor will need to do a C-section. A C-section, or “cesarean delivery,” is a type of surgery used to get the baby out of the uterus.
If your due date is not for several weeks, and your preeclampsia is not severe, your doctor might wait to deliver your baby. This is to give the baby more time to grow and develop.
If your doctor decides to wait, he or she will check you and your baby often, for any problems. You might need to stay in the hospital.
If your blood pressure is very high, your doctor might give you medicine to lower blood pressure.
This is to keep you from having a stroke. Women with preeclampsia can sometimes have seizures. Your doctor will probably give you medicine during labour to prevent this.

WHAT CAN I DO TO PREVENT PREECLAMPSIA?
You can’t do anything to keep from getting preeclampsia. The most important thing you can do is to keep all the appointments you have with your doctor, nurse, or midwife.
That way, they can find out as soon as possible if your blood pressure goes up, or if you have too much protein in your urine or any other problems.
Also, call someone on your healthcare team right away if you have symptoms of preeclampsia or the baby isn’t moving as much as usual. Your doctor or nurse can do things to keep you from having worse problems from preeclampsia.
Preeclampsia is a silent killer in pregnant women.
Ensuring pregnant women visit their clinics regularly will significantly decrease their risk of dying from this lethal condition.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News