Preeclampsia Pregnancy induced Hypertension

The facts are that one in every twenty pregnant women will develop high blood pressure during their pregnancy. If your urine contains no protein and your blood pressure rises by a small amount then this is known as gestational hypertension .

If your urine contains protein and your blood pressure rises significantly then this is known as preeclampsia. It is possible that gestational hypertension is in fact the first stage of preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia is a complication with the placenta. The placenta provides the baby with nutrients and oxygen from the mother's blood and joins mother and baby together.

Preeclampsia is potentially very dangerous for both mother and baby if it remains undetected. The symptoms are protein in the urine with a rise in blood pressure.

In certain circumstances the baby may demonstrate a slow growth rate and the mother may have swollen hands and feet, though there are other factors that may cause these symptoms.

Regular checks for preeclampsia pregnancy induced hypertension

It is of paramount importance that all women during pregnancy have regular checks by their doctor or midwife throughout their pregnancy, to identify any complications such as preeclampsia within it's early stages and ensure they are dealt with promptly.

'Preeclampsia' - raised blood pressure in pregnant women - usually occurs within the last weeks of pregnancy, and is often found in women who suffered with chronic high blood pressure [hypertension] prior to becoming pregnant.

Preeclampsia is a very dangerous condition for a pregnant woman to suffer from and can prove ultimately fatal to both her and her unborn baby.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of preeclampsia include:

v Swelling and oedema to face hands and feet

v Nausea

v Dizziness

v Blurred vision

v Sensitivity to light

v Pain on passing urine

v Seizures in the latter stages

All these symptoms are classic signs of preeclampsia and should be investigated immediately.

If a pregnant woman is known to be at high risk then she should be made aware of and become familiar with the signs and symptoms of preeclampsia. She should then be given strict instructions on what to do if ever experiencing these symptoms. Even if it turns out to be a false alarm, then at least she will know she has done the right thing by getting herself checked out by her doctor or midwife.

If prescribed, many of the recognised drugs for treating high blood pressure may have an adverse effect on an unborn child especially in the first three months of gestation. This is the reason why it is very difficult to prescribe specific drugs for women who have high blood pressure when they are pregnant.

It's very difficult to get the treatment completely right every time, and it is obviously due to the skill of obstetricians that it is completed successfully so often. For instance angiotensin converting inhibitors might cause a reduction in the blood flow to the tissues and membranes of pregnant woman's uterus thus causing problems with the foetal circulation.

As the blood pressure tends to drop within the first three months of pregnancy it may be possible for a pregnant woman to stop taking her medication during this period,

However, she would of course still need very careful monitoring, possibly as an inpatient in hospital. If her blood pressure did rise to unfavorable levels within this period, then her doctor would have a difficult decision to make. Does he recommence her medication or not.

It should be remembered that when reducing the blood pressure of a woman suffering from preeclampsia it should be done gradually as a drastic reduction and fall in her blood pressure could have dire consequences on both her and her unborn child.

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Research material about preeclampsia pregnancy induced hypertension was provided by K. Standerline, State Registered Nurse. UK

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