However, a single high blood pressure reading doesn't mean you have preeclampsia. If you have one reading in the abnormal range—or a reading that's substantially higher than your usual blood pressure—your doctor will closely observe your numbers. Having a second abnormal blood pressure reading four hours after the first may confirm your doctor's suspicion of preeclampsia.
Your doctor may have you come in for additional blood pressure readings and blood and urine tests. Blood tests. Your doctor will order liver function tests, kidney function tests, and also measure your platelets—the cells that help blood clot.
Urine analysis. Your doctor will ask you to collect your urine for 24 hours, for measurement of the amount of protein in your urine. A single urine sample that measures the ratio of protein to creatinine—a chemical that's always present in the urine—also may be used to make the diagnosis. Fetal ultrasound. Your doctor may also recommend close monitoring of your baby's growth, typically through ultrasound. The images of your baby created during the ultrasound exam allow your doctor to estimate fetal weight and the amount of fluid in the uterus amniotic fluid.
Nonstress test or biophysical profile. A nonstress test is a simple procedure that checks how your baby's heart rate reacts when your baby moves. A biophysical profile uses an ultrasound to measure your baby's breathing, muscle tone, movement, and the volume of amniotic fluid in your uterus.
The only cure for preeclampsia is delivery. You're at increased risk of seizures, placental abruption, stroke, and possibly severe bleeding until your blood pressure decreases. Of course, if it's too early in your pregnancy, delivery may not be the best thing for your baby. If you're diagnosed with preeclampsia, your doctor will let you know how often you'll need to come in for prenatal visits—likely more frequently than what's typically recommended for pregnancy.
You'll also need more frequent blood tests, ultrasounds, and nonstress tests than would be expected in an uncomplicated pregnancy. Medications to lower blood pressure. These medications, called antihypertensives, are used to lower your blood pressure if it's dangerously high. Although there are many different types of antihypertensive medications, a number of them aren't safe to use during pregnancy. Discuss with your doctor whether you need to use an antihypertensive medicine in your situation to control your blood pressure.
If you have severe preeclampsia or HELLP syndrome, corticosteroid medications can temporarily improve liver and platelet function to help prolong your pregnancy. Corticosteroids can also help your baby's lungs become more mature in as little as 48 hours—an important step in preparing a premature baby for life outside the womb. Anticonvulsant medications. If your preeclampsia is severe, your doctor may prescribe an anticonvulsant medication, such as magnesium sulfate, to prevent a first seizure.
Bed rest used to be routinely recommended for women with preeclampsia. But research hasn't shown a benefit from this practice, and it can increase your risk of blood clots, as well as impact your economic and social lives. For most women, bed rest is no longer recommended. Severe preeclampsia may require that you be hospitalized. In the hospital, your doctor may perform regular nonstress tests or biophysical profiles to monitor your baby's well-being and measure the volume of amniotic fluid.
A lack of amniotic fluid is a sign of poor blood supply to the baby. If you're diagnosed with preeclampsia near the end of your pregnancy, your doctor may recommend inducing labor right away. The readiness of your cervix—whether it's beginning to open dilate , thin efface , and soften ripen —also may be a factor in determining whether or when labor will be induced. In severe cases, it may not be possible to consider your baby's gestational age or the readiness of your cervix.
If it's not possible to wait, your doctor may induce labor or schedule a C-section right away. During delivery, you may be given magnesium sulfate intravenously to prevent seizures. If you need pain-relieving medication after your delivery, ask your doctor what you should take.
Preeclampsia will probably be diagnosed during a routine prenatal exam. After that, you'll likely have additional visits with your obstetrician. Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment, and what to expect from your doctor. Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, even if you think they're normal pregnancy symptoms. Make a list of all medications, vitamins, and supplements that you're taking. Take a family member or friend along, if possible, to help you remember all of the information provided during your appointment.
Write down questions to ask your doctor, listing them in order of importance in case time runs out. Do you have any brochures or other printed material that I can have? What websites do you recommend? In addition to the questions that you've prepared, don't hesitate to ask questions that occur to you during your appointment. Discovering that you have a potentially serious pregnancy complication can be frightening.
If you're diagnosed with preeclampsia late in your pregnancy, you may be surprised and scared to know that you'll be induced right away. If you're diagnosed earlier in your pregnancy, you may have many weeks to worry about your baby's health. It may help to learn about your condition. In addition to talking to your doctor, do some research. Make sure you understand when to call your doctor, how you should monitor your baby and your condition, and then find something else to occupy your time so that you don't spend too much time worrying.
Researchers continue to study ways to prevent preeclampsia, but so far, no clear strategies have emerged. Eating less salt, changing your activities, restricting calories, or consuming garlic or fish oil doesn't reduce your risk. Increasing your intake of vitamins C and E hasn't been shown to have a benefit. Some studies have reported an association between vitamin D deficiency and an increased risk of preeclampsia.
But while some studies have shown an association between taking vitamin D supplements and a lower risk of preeclampsia, others have failed to make the connection.
Recent findings: Describing markers for the early detection of PE is an essential task because, although associated molecular dysfunction begins early on during pregnancy, the disease's clinical signs usually appear late in pregnancy. Although several biochemical biomarkers have been proposed, their use in clinical environments is still limited, thereby encouraging research into PE's genetic origin.
Hundreds of genes involved in numerous implantation- and placentation-related biological processes may be coherent candidates for PE aetiology. It was through the registry that an important study was published in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation outlining a genetic link between preeclampsia and heart disease.
Long-term impact. After a pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia, women have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease CVD and related mortality. Given the risk for future heart disease, as well as its potential impact to a preeclampsia survivor's kidneys, brain health, and overall psychological well-being, the Foundation's recommendation is to educate yourself and partner with your provider to develop your personalized health plan. The continuing impact of that incident on my emotional and physical health did not end in This year's campaign focuses not just on repeating that preeclampsia survivors have a risk but recognizing its emotional impact and educating and empowering the community on what they can do to be their own best advocate beyond pregnancy.
It's never too late to change your future. In conjunction with the International Society of the Study of Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy ISSHP , the Foundation has created a downloadable tool called " My Health Plan Beyond Pregnancy" to use with your provider and strongly encourage survivors to create a personalized health plan to mitigate their risk. Throughout the month, survivors are encouraged to follow beyondpregnancy and preeclampsia and participate in social media events that include Ask the Experts , a Facebook Live event with leading physician experts answering patients' questions, a birth trauma webinar, a series of online sessions with organizations who specialize in cardiac care for women and other patient centered programs.
Additional patient and provider education resources and details on above events are available www. Tsigas adds, "Our work will always be to find a cause and a cure. In the meantime, our greatest tool is education. We envision a world where preeclampsia and related hypertensive disorders of pregnancy no longer threaten the lives of mothers and babies.
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