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Understanding Pre-eclampsia

Pre-eclampsia, formerly know as toxemia, is when a women who is pregnant is diagnosed with high blood pressure and who has 300mg or more of protein in her urine within a 24 hour period. Pre-eclampsia has been known to affect up to 8% of pregnant women.

Pre-eclampsia usually develops during or directly after the 20th week of pregnancy, and requires immediate medical attention. Common during a woman's first pregnancy, pre-eclampsia can also occur up to 8 weeks after delivery and is treated in the same manner as it is during pregnancy. Pre-eclampsia is thought by many researchers to be caused not by the fetus, but by the placenta. Abnormal development of the placenta causes it to secret toxins, which cause the mother's body to respond in distress, increasing her blood pressure and protein in her urine. Pre-elcampsia can even occur in a molar pregnancy as well as in an abdominal pregnancy, where the fetus may or may not be intact.

Pre-eclampsia is much more prevalent in women who have prior medical conditions including existing hypertension, diabetes, and kidney disease, as well as those who are experiencing pregnancy involving twins or triplets.

What are the signs of pre-eclampsia?

Swelling, sudden weight gain, headaches, and impaired vision are common signs of pre-eclampsia. These symptoms, while common early on in a pregnancy, usually taper off after the first trimester, but if they increase near the third trimester, they could potentially be a sign of pre-eclampsia. Regular visits to your obstetrician can also help catch pre-eclampsia early. Doctors routinely screen for the condition as it can develop into eclampsia, a life-threatening condition for both mother and child.

Working with your obstetrician, some preventative measures can be taken to help prevent or reduce the effects of pre-eclampsia. In many cases the easiest treatment for pre-eclampsia is childbirth, either vaginally or through a c-section. Once birth has taken place, the placenta is no longer contained within the mother and the distress subsides. If birth is not feasible due to immature fetal development, certain therapies are available. Magnesium sulfate can be administered intravenously to prevent the condition from worsening and prevent a premature delivery.

What can I do to help prevent pre-eclampsia?

Exercise has been proven to prevent pre-eclampsia. Keeping active during your pregnancy can help keep your body healthier and resistant to the toxins which cause pre-eclampsia. Additionally, daily supplements of calcium, magnesium, folic acid, and zinc have shown to decrease the risk of pre-eclampsia as well as taking a low-dose aspirin prior to bedtime. Many doctors even suggest simple dietary changes during pregnancy to help stave off pre-eclampsia.

Clinical trials are also taking place to find medications to treat pre-elcampsia. Currently, many obstetricians use anti-hypertension medications to reduce the effects of pre-eclampsia. The Pre-eclampsia Foundation is dedicated to funding research, raising public awareness, and providing support to those who have gone through pregnancies where pre-eclampsia has occurred. Their website, www.preeclampsia.org, provides information as well as support for those with pre-eclampsia.

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