Preeclampsia is also called pregnancy-induced-hypertension or toxemia. It means a condition where hypertension or high blood-pressure arises during pregnancy or post-partum period (initial 6 weeks post-partum). It usually develops late in pregnancy in late second or third trimester (after 20 weeks and more often after 32 weeks of gestation) and symptoms include sudden rise in blood-pressure, swelling and significant increase in protein in the urine.
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Who can get Preeclampsia ?
It is seen in almost 8% of the pregnant women. Women with pre-existing hyper-tension, diabetes , women carrying multiple fetuses and above 40 years of age are more susceptible to preeclampsia. Women who have earlier history of preeclapsia during an earlier pregnancy have higher chance of developing it during future pregnancies.
Symptoms of Preeclampsia
Some of the most important symptoms and signs are listed below :
- High rise in blood pressure( over 140/90 in a woman who did not have blood pressure earlier)
- Severe swelling in hands, legs and face
- Protein in urine
- Blurred vision
- Severe heartburn
In some cases, it can exist without symptoms , thus needs to be detected using tests.
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