Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is a complication of pregnancy which can be dangerous and
cause you to have an increase in blood pressure and proteinuria, or excess
protein in the urine. Preeclampsia occurs in less than 10% of pregnancies, and can
happen after week 20, but does not usually happen until closer to 36-38 weeks. Doctors
do not know exactly why preeclampsia happens, nor is there any test that can
determine onset or risk, therefore it is very important to be aware of any
warning signs of this condition.
Women at
increased risk for preeclampsia include:
- women having
their first pregnancy,
- obese women
[more than 30 pounds overweight],
- women having
multiple births,
- women under
20, or over 40
- women with
high blood pressure, and
- women that
have blood clotting disorders
Signs of
preeclampsia include
- changes in
your vision [flashing light or high sensitivity to light],
- frequent or
severe headaches,
- sudden edema-swelling
in hands and feet, or
- pain in your
upper abdominal area,
- vomiting
[morning sickness should be over at this stage in pregnancy]
- an unusual
and sudden weight gain [more than 4 pounds in 1 week].
As you can
see, most of these symptoms are also part of a normal pregnancy, so you will be
visiting your doctor or midwife to monitor the progress and screen for any
signs of preeclampsia. Pregnancy consumes your body and involves numerous
physical elements and systems. Always be sure to communicate any noticeable
changes or unusual things you may feel throughout your body to your doctor or
midwife.
