What Is Preeclampsia?

Preeclampsia is a disorder of pregnancy mainly recognized by high blood pressure that some moms get after 20 weeks of gestation or soon after giving birth.

In rare cases, it can damage the kidneys, liver, blood, heart, and brain, leading to severe health consequences for you and your baby.

The good news is that most moms with preeclampsia can have healthy babies with regular prenatal care and proper medical management. In addition, there is a treatment to reduce the incidence of preeclampsia in patients with risk factors.

What Are the Stages of Preeclampsia?

• Without severe features
  When the disease first develops, there are typically no symptoms. The initial sign is blood pressure greater than or equal to 140/90 mm Hg and protein in the urine. Labs are drawn to ensure that the liver and kidney function is normal.
• With severe features
  As the disease progresses, blood pressure can increase. The disease is considered severe when the blood pressure becomes greater than or equal to 160/110 mm Hg or if lab abnormalities occur. Close monitoring and early delivery are recommended.

• Postpartum
  Preeclampsia can also occur postpartum, usually between 48 hours and six weeks after delivery. Complications of postpartum preeclampsia include seizures, pulmonary edema, stroke, and thromboembolism.

How Is It Diagnosed?

Your medical provider diagnoses preeclampsia. They will document your baseline blood pressure and urine protein at the beginning of your pregnancy, then measure your blood pressure and urine protein at every prenatal care appointment.

If preeclampsia is suspected, the at-risk specialists at High Risk Pregnancy Center will order additional lab work to evaluate your liver and kidney function.

They may also run several tests to check the health of your baby, including

• Ultrasound
  This allows your doctor to check your baby’s growth, the amount of fluid around your baby, the health of the placenta, and other factors to ensure your pregnancy is healthy.
• Nonstress test
  This test checks your baby’s heart rate to ensure it is within a healthy range.
• Biophysical profile
  This is a combined ultrasound and nonstress test. It helps your doctor observe the baby’s heart rate, breathing, movement, muscle tone, and amniotic fluid. Depending on your unique circumstances, this test may be scheduled once to twice weekly to monitor your baby’s health and development closely.

Why Is Preeclampsia Dangerous for Mom and Baby?

Preeclampsia can lead to several severe and often life-threatening conditions for the mom and baby.

• For mom: Preeclampsia increases your risk for placental abruption, a condition in which the placenta separates from the inner wall of the uterus before delivery, leading to heavy bleeding. Moms with preeclampsia are also at an increased risk for damage to the
  • Kidneys
  • Liver
  • Brain
  • Other organ and blood systems
• For baby: Placental abruption is also dangerous for the growing baby because it can cause a deprivation of oxygen and nutrients. This condition can lead to fetal growth restriction, preterm birth, and accompanying risk factors.

Preeclampsia Risk Factors

Common preeclampsia risk factors include

• Preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy
• Family history of preeclampsia
• Multiple gestation (twins, triplets, etc.)
• Chronic hypertension (elevated blood pressure before pregnancy)
• Type 1 or type 2 diabetes
• Kidney disease
• Autoimmune disorders
• Use of artificial reproductive technology (ART), like in vitro fertilization (IVF)
• Obesity
• Advanced maternal age (+35)

Signs and Symptoms of Preeclampsia

As mentioned above, mild preeclampsia is often asymptomatic. The best way to diagnose and treat preeclampsia is by attending all your prenatal care appointments. This allows your doctor to provide life-saving and early intervention protocols if needed.

Common signs and symptoms of preeclampsia include

• Increased protein in the urine
• Decreased blood platelets
• Increased liver enzymes
• Severe headaches
• Blurred vision or temporary vision loss
• Shortness of breath
• Pain in the upper right abdomen
• Nausea or vomiting

If you’re pregnant, have concerns about your health risks, or have been recently diagnosed with gestational hypertension or preeclampsia, call the High Risk Pregnancy Center at 702-382-3200.

We understand how worrisome it can be to get an unexpected diagnosis about your health or the health of your growing baby. Our maternal fetal physicians have extensive experience diagnosing and successfully treating several pregnancy complications.

We are passionate about keeping you and your baby as healthy as possible throughout your pregnancy.