When you’re pregnant, you might wonder why your obstetrician checks your blood pressure and asks for a urine sample at each visit. You might also wonder if swelling in your feet and ankles is normal. The answers to both questions have roots in a pregnancy condition called preeclampsia. Here’s how to know if you have preeclampsia and what you can do about it.
Overview: When does preeclampsia start in pregnancy
Treatment: How to treat preeclampsia
The primary treatment for preeclampsia is either delivering your baby or managing the condition until the optimal time for delivery. The timing of the delivery depends on the severity of the condition and the gestational age of the baby.
Although preeclampsia is most common in the last month of pregnancy, it can occur earlier while the baby is still premature. You may not have a lot of time between the diagnosis and delivery as Christine Carter discovered. “I found out I had preeclampsia and gave birth four days later,” she told Mom.com.
The goal in determining delivery timing is to balance the two sides of the scale — to allow the baby to mature as long as possible in the uterus without risking the health of the mother. If the condition is mild, and the baby is still premature, the mother may be put on bed rest either at home or in the hospital with frequent monitoring of both her and the baby.
If the preeclampsia is severe, delivery may not be able to be delayed. Whether the delivery will be vaginal or cesarean depends on how immediately the delivery needs to occur, whether the mother’s body is able to be induced, and how capable the baby is of tolerating labor.
The mother may also receive medication to bring her blood pressure down if it is severely elevated, and receive corticosteroids to help mature the baby’s lungs if the baby is premature. Magnesium sulfate might also be given before and after delivery to protect against the development of seizures.
Prevention: How to reduce the risk of preeclampsia
“There are a few things that women can do to prevent preeclampsia,” Virginia Blackwell, M.D. told Mom.com. “Essentially avoid any activity that could cause high blood pressure,” such as eating foods high in sodium. Experts also suggest avoiding caffeine, maintaining an exercise routine and getting adequate sleep. Your doctor may also have medication that can help lower blood pressure.
What to keep in mind
Many of the signs of preeclampsia such as headaches, abdominal pain and swelling are also common symptoms of normal, unaffected pregnancies. When any symptom becomes concerning, especially if the mother has known risk factors for preeclampsia, it is important to undergo evaluation to be reassured that the pregnancy is uncomplicated.
The obstetrician, likewise, checks blood pressure and urine at every visit to ensure that the pregnancy is going smoothly. With the mother aware of changes in her body, and her doctor routinely monitoring the pregnancy, conditions such as preeclampsia can be detected and appropriately managed so you can have a healthy (and happy) delivery.
