Why Is Preeclampsia Leading To Maternal And Infant Mortality?
The Urgent Need to Address Preeclampsia: Understanding The Dangers and 4 Key Prevention Strategies
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Most babies born to women with preeclampsia are healthy; however, if the condition is left treated, it could lead to complications for both the mother and foetus.
Preeclampsia, a serious condition that can occur after the 20th week of pregnancy, occurs in about 2%–8% of pregnancies worldwide. A woman with preeclampsia has high blood pressure, has protein in her urine and may have swellings in her hand, face, legs or full body. If blood pressure is high, it can cause problems during pregnancy and cause stress to your heart. Doctors are still not aware of the exact cause behind preeclampsia. They assume that it is caused by the placenta not properly attaching to the uterine wall in the first trimester. This causes the blood vessels in the entire body to become narrower, which in turn increases the blood pressure. Moreover, the blood vessels do not properly supply to the foetus and placenta, thus depriving the foetus of essential nutrients and oxygen.
The preeclampsia-related symptoms include the following:
Causes
If placental development is not normal in the first trimester, the placenta will not be able to sufficiently provide for the foetus and will lead to the mixing up of the placental material with the mother’s blood circulation. The pregnant mother will then develop high blood pressure, kidney problems and have protein in her urine. The mother will be at risk for HELLP syndrome (a condition in which her platelet count decreases, liver function enzymes are elevated, and her red blood cells are destroyed). Moreover, she will be at risk for eclampsia (a life-threatening condition in which the pregnant woman has seizures or may go into a coma) and other organ damage.
Scientists still do not know the exact cause of preeclampsia, which is thought to be caused by the faulty functioning of the placenta; it may include insufficient blood flow to the placenta also.
Risk Factors
The exact reason for developing preeclampsia is unclear. You may either be at high risk or moderate risk of developing preeclampsia.
Some risk factors for the moderate risk of developing preeclampsia are listed below:
Preeclampsia can be prevented by avoiding pregnancy if you have a high risk of preeclampsia, improving nutrition and modifying lifestyle.
Some of the ways preeclampsia can be prevented include:
The diagnosis of preeclampsia is based on the following:
If you have mild preeclampsia after 37 weeks of pregnancy, there are usually no major health complications. If your condition is stable after 37 weeks, your doctor may suggest delivering the baby early to prevent any harm to you and your baby. The doctor will give you medicine to induce labour; you can then deliver your baby.
For mild preeclampsia before 37 weeks, your doctor will closely monitor your condition. Your blood pressure and urine tests will be regularly performed. You may be admitted to the hospital to be under observation if required. If you do not require to be admitted, you will have to visit your doctor twice or thrice a week for check-ups. You may require to check your blood pressure at home.
Your doctor may ask you to do kick counts, i.e., count the number of times your baby moves. You can do this by checking how long it takes for your baby to move ten times each day. If the number changes with each hour or if your baby takes > 2 h to move ten times, inform your doctor.
If you have severe preeclampsia, you will require to be admitted to the hospital. You may be given antenatal corticosteroids to help your baby’s lungs develop faster. You may get medicines to control your blood pressure and prevent any seizure. If your condition does not improve, you may require to deliver your baby. If you are 34 weeks pregnant and stable, your doctor may induce labour or deliver your baby via caesarean section (c-section). If you are not 34 weeks pregnant and you and your baby’s condition has stabilised, you may be able to wait for some time before delivery.
Some self-care ways to control and prevent preeclampsia include:
Prognosis
In most cases, a complete recovery from preeclampsia is the norm. Your blood pressure should start improving one to two days after you deliver; within the next six weeks, your blood pressure should be back to what it was before pregnancy. However, certain women may have complications.
If you had preeclampsia in your first pregnancy, there is a one in five chance that you will have it in your second pregnancy. The risk is even higher if you had severe or early preeclampsia or if you have a medical condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
If you had preeclampsia, you have a risk of developing cardiovascular diseases later. Thus, you should adopt a healthy lifestyle to lower this risk.
Complications
If preeclampsia is left untreated, it could lead to complications for the mother and the baby and may lead to death too.
Some possible complications for the mother include:
Harvard Health Publishing. Preeclampsia and eclampsia [Internet][Updated on Oct, 2018]. Available at: https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/preeclampsia-and-eclampsia-a-to-z. Accessed on May 11, 2021. (https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/preeclampsia-and-eclampsia-a-to-z)
2. March of Dimes. Preeclampsia [Internet][Updated on Oct, 2020]. Available at: https://www.marchofdimes.org/complications/preeclampsia.aspx. Accessed on May 11, 2021. (https://www.marchofdimes.org/complications/preeclampsia.aspx)
3. Hladunewich M, et al. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2007 May;2(3):543-9.
4. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Preeclampsia and high blood pressure during pregnancy [Internet][Updated on Dec, 2020]. Available at: https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/preeclampsia-and-high-blood-pressure-during-pregnancy. Accessed on May 11, 2021. (https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/preeclampsia-and-high-blood-pressure-during-pregnancy)
5. American Pregnancy Association. Preeclampsia [Internet][Updated on Sep 20, 2020]. Available at: https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/pregnancy-complications/preeclampsia-927/. Accessed on May 11, 2021. (https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/pregnancy-complications/preeclampsia-927/)
6. Moura SB, et al. J Pregnancy. 2012; 2012: 435090.
7. Rasouli M, et al. Int J Prev Med. 2019; 10: 21.
The Urgent Need to Address Preeclampsia: Understanding The Dangers and 4 Key Prevention Strategies
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The Urgent Need to Address Preeclampsia: Understanding The Dangers and 4 Key Prevention Strategies
Women with PCOS must work closely with their healthcare providers to treat their disease and monitor potential problems.
Extreme heat can have a significant impact not only on children but even on a woman's reproductive health.
Ballantyne Syndrome is a rare condition that can have severe consequences for both the mother and the fetus.
Women who had experienced pre-eclampsia or gestational hypertension during pregnancy may be more likely to develop coronary heart disease in the future.
Gestational diabetes may lead to many complications if blood sugar is not managed correctly. Below are five tips pregnant woman with gestational diabetes should follow.
Many healthcare providers find themselves caught up in a difficult choice of whether to uphold patient autonomy or to help them take a medically sound decision that might benefit them in the long run
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