Image description. Better Health Channel logo End of image description.

Pre-eclampsia
Pre-eclampsiaisaseriousdisorderofpregnancycharacterisedbyhighmaternalbloodpressure, proteinintheurineandseverefluidretention.Itisthemostcommoncomplicationofpregnancy, affectingaroundfiveto10percentofallpregnanciesinAustralia.Onetotwopercentofcasesare severeenoughtothreatenthelivesofboththemotherandherunbornchild. Pre-eclampsiaaccountsforoneinfiveinductionsandoneinsixCaesareansections.The mechanismsbehindtheconditionaremysterious,butgeneticfactorsandtheplacentaseemto playsignificantroles.Forreasonsunknown,pre-eclampsiatendstobemorecommoninfirstrather thansubsequentpregnancies.Themothersbloodpressureusuallyreturnstonormalassoonas thebabyisdelivered. Effects on the mother Pre-eclampsiamaydevelopatanytimeduringthesecondhalfofpregnancybutcommonly developsduringthelaterstagesofpregnancy.Pre-eclampsiamostcommonlycauseshighblood pressureandproteinintheurine.Itcanalsohavealargespectrumofeffectsandpotentially involvemostbodyorgans.Initsmostsevereforms,itcancauseproblemsinthekidneys,liver, brainandblood(inparticularthecoagulationsystem).Itisdifficulttopredictwhowillbeaffected, butcertainwomenappeartobemoreatriskthanothers,including: Womenexperiencingtheirfirstpregnancy. Thosewithpre-existinghighbloodpressureorsomeothertypesofvasculardisease. Womenwithafamilyhistoryofthecondition. Diabetics. Womenpregnantwithmultiplefoetuses.

Ima ge des crip

The disorder can be asymptomatic Contrarytopopularbelief,thereisnoevidencethatpre-eclampsiaiscausedbyemotionalstress, workingtoohardornotgettingsufficientbedrest.Pre-eclampsiainitiallyhasnoobvious symptomsandmostwomenwiththeconditionfeelfine.Thatswhyregularantenatalchecksareso important.Pre-eclampsiaissuspectedifthereis: Asuddenelevationinbloodpressure(abovelevelsatthestartofpregnancy) Proteinuria,orproteinintheurine.

Serious signs Ifleftuntreated,pre-eclampsiacanleadtoconvulsions,kidneyfailure,liverfailure,clotting problemsordeath.Someoftheadvancedsymptomsofthedisorderinclude: Dizziness Headache Visualdisturbances,suchasflashinglights Abdominalpainjustbelowtheribs Nauseaandvomiting.

Effects on the unborn baby

Pre-eclampsia

Page1of2

Aroundfiveto10percentofpre-termdeliveriesinAustraliaareduetopre-eclampsiaorits associatedcomplications.Inutero,thebabyissustainedbyaspecialorganofpregnancycalledthe placenta.Thisorganallowsoxygenandnutrientstopassfromthemothersbloodstreamtothe baby,andwasteproducts(suchascarbondioxide)topassfromthebabysbloodstreamtothe mother.Inpre-eclampsia,bloodflowtotheplacentabecomessluggish.Inseverecases,thebaby canbegraduallystarvedofoxygenandnutrients,whichmayaffectitsgrowth.Thisgrowth restrictionthreatensthelifeofthebabyanditisthennecessarytodeliverthebabyprematurely. Anotherseriouscomplicationofpre-eclampsiais abruptio placentae,whichmeanstheplacenta separatesfromtheuterinewallandthewomanexperiencesvaginalbleedingandabdominalpain. Thisisamedicalemergency. Diagnosis and treatment Somesymptomsofpre-eclampsia,suchasfluidretention,arealsotypicalofnormalpregnancy. Thismeansthatsomewomenmaydismisstheearlywarningsigns.Regularantenatalchecksare vital.Atpresent,thereisnowaytocurepre-eclampsia.Sometimesmedicationisneededtocontrol bloodpressureandthewomanmaybenefitfromresting.Theonlycureistodeliverthebabyand theplacenta. Current research Maternaldeathsareveryrare;however,pre-eclampsiaanditsassociatedcomplicationsare responsibleforaround15percentofmaternaldeaths.Medicalresearchersarelookingforwaysto predictpre-eclampsia,inordertofurtherminimisetherisksforsusceptiblemothersandtheir babies.Sincepre-eclampsiatendstoruninfamilies,scientistsarecurrentlylookingforthespecific gene(s)onwhichthisconditionisfound.Ifdiscovered,itishopedtherewilleventuallybeaprepregnancytestforthecondition. Where to get help Yourdoctor Midwife Obstetrician.

Things to remember

Pre-eclampsiaisaseriousconditionofpregnancy,usuallycharacterisedbyhighblood pressure,proteinintheurineandswelling. Mostwomenwithpre-eclampsiafeelfine,whichmeansthatregularantenatalcheck-ups arevital. Thereisnocureforthecondition,exceptdeliveryofthebaby.

This page has been produced in consultation with, and approved by:

RoyalWomen'sHospital

Copyight 1999/2009StateofVictoria.ReproducedfromtheBetterHealthChannel(www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au)at nocostwithpermissionoftheVictorianMinisterforHealth.Unauthorisedreproductionandotherusescomprisedinthe copyrightareprohibitedwithoutpermission. ThisBetterHealthChannelfactsheethaspassedthrougharigorousapprovalprocess.Forthelatestupdatesandmore informationvisitwww.betterhealth.vic.gov.au.

Pre-eclampsia

Page2of2