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Pre-eclampsia, which is also called toxemia, is a problem that occurs in some women during pregnancy. It can happen during the second half of pregnancy. Your doctor will look for the following signs of pre-eclampsia: high blood pressure, swelling that doesn't go away and large amounts of protein in your urine (found during urine tests).
Pre-eclampsia is more common in a woman's first pregnancy and in women whose mothers or sisters had pre-eclampsia. The risk of pre-eclampsia is higher in women carrying multiple babies, in teenage mothers and in women older than age 40. Other women at risk include those who had high blood pressure or kidney disease before they became pregnant. The cause of pre-eclampsia isn't known.
Not necessarily. If your doctor sees that your blood pressure is high, he or she will watch you closely for changes that could mean you have pre-eclampsia. In addition to high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia often has two more related problems, protein in the urine and excessive swelling. Many women with high blood pressure during pregnancy don't have protein in their urine or extreme swelling, and don't get pre-eclampsia.
Pre-eclampsia can prevent the placenta (which gives air and food to your baby) from getting enough blood. If the placenta doesn't get enough blood, your baby gets less air and food. This can cause low birth weight and other problems for the baby.
If you have pre-eclampsia, delivery of the baby is the best way to protect both you and your baby. This isn't always possible, because the baby may be too little to live outside of the womb.
If delivery isn't possible because it's too early in your pregnancy, steps can be taken to manage the pre-eclampsia until the baby can be delivered. These steps include making your blood pressure drop, with bed-rest or medicines, and keeping a close eye on you and your baby. In some cases, hospitalization may be necessary.
One way to control high blood pressure when you're not pregnant is to cut the amount of salt you eat. This isn't a good idea if you have high blood pressure during pregnancy. Your body needs salt to keep up the flow of fluid in your body, so you need a normal intake of salt. Your doctor will tell you how much salt to eat each day and how much water you should drink each day.
Your doctor might also tell you to lie on your left side while you are resting. This will increase the flow of urine and take weight off your large blood vessels.
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