Preeclampsia, also known as toxemia, is an illness that only happens during pregnancy and that can become very serious. It is important to know the symptoms so that preeclampsia doesn’t become eclampsia, a condition that can have severe consequences both for the mother and the fetus.  

What is preeclampsia

This illness usually has its onset at mid pregnancy and it is an abnormal response to the need the mother’s veins have to accommodate the larger blood volume that now flows in her veins.  

During pregnancy, the mother’s blood volume increases by 20-40%. This is because some organs now require more blood flow. The uterus, for example, will increase 500 times its size and will require oxygenation and nutrients. The same thing will happen with other organs that are now making an extra effort.

The normal response to these changes is that the mother’s arteries and veins relax to enable the blood volume to increase. However, in preeclampsia, the opposite occurs: the mother’s veins contract and besides, the blood tends to coagulate. The result is that the mother’s vital organs are not receiving the oxygen they need. The baby doesn’t receive enough oxygen either, nor the nutrients required in order to grow.

Symptoms of preeclampsia

Throughout your prenatal appointments, several urine samples will be taken in order to make sure, amongst other things, that there is no protein in it. Protein in urine indicates there could be a malfunction in the kidneys. This is one of the red flags that signal there a possibility of preeclampsia. This control is carried out so frequently because it is very important to detect this illness as soon as possible, as it could turn into a very severe condition in a very short time.

Besides protein, another red flag is the rapid increase in blood pressure, due to the incapability of the veins and arteries to accommodate the greater blood volume.  

Face and hands could be bloated, along with a fast weight gain.  This is because the circulatory system is not working properly and there is a lot of water retention.

Headaches, blurred vision and momentary loss of vision and other symptoms are also an indication that something isn’t right.

Treatment of preeclampsia

Some women, despite having the first symptoms of preeclampsia, don’t feel bad and they can be surprised by the measures their doctor will take if he discovers any of these symptoms. If your doctor thinks you may have advanced preeclampsia, he will have you hospitalized immediately. This is because preeclampsia could very rapidly turn into eclampsia.   

Eclampsia could cause strokes, rupturing of internal organs, the placenta breaking away from the wall of the uterus and even death. Convulsions are another sign that this illness is serious. If you experience convulsions at any time of your pregnancy, call 911 immediately. Don’t wait for someone to take you to the hospital.  

In the event that the symptoms of preeclampsia are not severe, it may be possible to control them with rest, by drinking water and avoiding salt. You should rest on your left side in order to enable blood circulation and eliminate pressure on the expectant mother’s arteries.

When it is more advanced, once in the hospital, medication will be administered to aid in eliminating liquids.  

In the event that preeclampsia is considered severe, the only remedy to control it is to induce preterm labor. Once the placenta has been eliminated from the body, all the symptoms disappear.

Risks for developing preeclampsia

It is fortunately not a very common illness. However, women who have hypertension, diabetes and obesity are at a higher risk. Latinas are at a higher risk of having diabetes and we also have the highest levels of obesity. For this reason, it is important to pay attention to the symptoms describe earlier.  

Being over 35, carrying multiples or having had preeclampsia before, or a family history of it, also increase the risk of suffering from it.