Approaching the final months of my pregnancy, my midwife asked if I had any symptoms, such as headaches, unusual swelling, or changes in my vision. My blood pressure was reading alarmingly high and routine urine tests were detecting large amounts of protein. I was noticing more headaches over the last couple of weeks, during which I would see spots that seemed to float around the room. And the swelling that first seemed normal in my pregnancy had become unbearable. I wasn’t able to wear my shoes or my rings anymore and it was even difficult to move my legs. On top of the normal discomforts of pregnancy, I felt strange, like an overstuffed pillow throughout my entire body. My skin burned from the stretching and swelling.
These were all signs of a condition known as Preeclampsia, a very serious complication during pregnancy characterized by the sudden onset of high blood pressure, protein in the urine, swelling, headaches, and vision changes. Because this condition can cause serious problems in both the mother and baby, it is important to be aware of what preeclampsia is and what to be on the lookout for.
So much is still unknown about this condition that affects about 5-8% of all pregnancies. Untreated, it can progress to Eclampsia, which can lead to seizures, coma, or death of both the mother and baby. Another potentially fatal progression is a condition known as HELLP Syndrome, characterized by liver failure, lack of blood clotting, and kidney failure. Preeclampsia and Eclampsia, once referred to as Toxemia, are so serious that worldwide, 76,000 deaths occur each year. (“About Preeclampsia” par 3). Physicians inform every pregnant patient to look out for the warning signs, especially in the last trimester of pregnancy.
Generally, the condition will develop during a woman’s first pregnancy. Women who are more at risk for preeclampsia are those over the age of 40 or under the age of 20, those who have had multiple birth pregnancies, those with a history of high blood pressure, and those whose previous pregnancies were affected by preeclampsia, diabetes, and obesity (“Risk Factors for Preeclampsia” par 1).
The only known treatment for preeclampsia, once it becomes severe, is delivery of the baby. This can pose a serious problem if the baby is extremely premature. That’s why it is absolutely imperative for every pregnant woman to recognize early symptoms. Routine weight, blood pressure, and urine checks are done for all pregnant women during their prenatal checkups. Early in the pregnancy the doctor will get a baseline blood pressure to compare against any future blood pressure reading. The standard normal blood pressure is regarded to be anything less than 120/80. But if a woman’s normal blood pressure is in the 100/70 range, and during a subsequent office visit her blood pressure reads 130/85, the doctor would be more concerned than a woman who’s baseline blood pressure was 125/80, which doesn’t show as dramatic of an increase.
Once a woman begins to show signs of preeclampsia, depending on the severity of her symptoms, a doctor will usually order the woman to cut back on work hours and spend more time in bed. She will also be ordered to lie on her left side. If a pregnant woman lies flat on her back or more to the right side, the weight from the uterus will compress vital blood vessels, reducing valuable blood flow to the baby. If this doesn’t relieve the symptoms, the woman will almost always be confined to bed rest, either at home or in the hospital. For a lot of women this can be a problem. Like me, some women work full-time outside of the home and have commitments to the house and other family members. If caught early in the pregnancy a woman must spend months in bed. This is a very difficult situation to deal with. Boredom can set in very quickly.
But when none of these measures work and the condition gets worse, more drastic measures are taken. In my case, I was 35 weeks pregnant, 5 weeks from my due date. I had a few of the risk factors being diabetic and having mild hypertension (high blood pressure). At the same time, I also had a few things that weren’t as typical. I was 26 and this was my fourth pregnancy after two miscarriages. With the immense swelling and blood pressure reading over 200/110, my midwife became alarmed. One way a physician can test how severe preeclampsia is by checking a woman’s reflexes with the standard bump to the knee. In a woman with preeclampsia, her reaction to this tap on the knee is exaggerated. This was the case with me. I felt as though I would have knocked the air out of the midwife if she were standing in front of me! The amount of protein in my urine was also high. Normally there should be none.
I was sent to Rockdale Hospital where I was monitored closely for two days. My urine was collected over a 24-hour period for a more accurate check on my kidney function. Finally, it was determined that the preeclampsia was affecting my kidneys and the bed rest wasn’t lowering my blood pressure any. My baby would have to be delivered by cesarean section. Like in the case of a lot of babies born early, my son’s lungs weren’t mature enough for him to breathe normally on his own. He spent a week in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) on a ventilator until he was able to breathe on his own. Many babies spend several weeks, or even months, on machines used to keep the baby alive.
Normally, once the baby is delivered, the symptoms of preeclampsia go away. Once again, this isn’t always the case. Some women continue with high blood pressure for some time afterwards. I was one of them. Eventually, I was placed on blood pressure medication that brought my blood pressure down and I got rid of the immense amount of excess fluid that had accumulated in my body.
Considering the seriousness of preeclampsia to both the mother and the baby, it is important for every pregnant woman to be aware of what it is and what its symptoms are. Husbands and other family members could benefit from this knowledge, as well. Early intervention can prevent serious problems in the mother and prematurity in the baby. One day, more will be known about this condition and how to treat it better. Until then, knowledge and early intervention are the best weapons we have against this serious condition.
Works Cited
“About Preeclampsia.” Preeclampsia Foundation. 2006.
“Rick Factors for Preeclampsia.” Wrong Diagnosis. 15 March 2006
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