Developing high blood pressure after the 20th week of pregnancy or right after pregnancy may signal a condition called preeclampsia. If not treated, this condition may threaten both parent and child. Fortunately, preeclampsia is easily found during routine prenatal care visits. Plus, close monitoring can help pregnant people who develop it stay healthy and deliver healthy babies. To learn the facts, take this quiz.
1. Developing high blood pressure during pregnancy always means you have preeclampsia.
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Having high blood pressure during pregnancy (gestational hypertension) doesn’t necessarily mean you have preeclampsia. High blood pressure is only one symptom of preeclampsia. You may have several other possible warning signs. They include:
Swelling in the legs, face, and hands
Sudden weight gain, or gaining 2 or more pounds in a week
Headaches that don't go away or are severe
Double or blurred vision, or seeing flashing lights
Sensitivity to light
Pain in the upper right abdomen
Dizziness
Nausea or vomiting
Another possible sign of preeclampsia is having protein in your urine.
If you are pregnant and notice any of these symptoms, you should talk with your healthcare provider.
2. A pregnant person’s age affects their risk for this condition.
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Being a teenage pregnant person or 35 years or older raises the risk for preeclampsia. So does a history of long-term (chronic) high blood pressure. Other risk factors include:
Having preeclampsia during an earlier pregnancy
Having a family history of preeclampsia
Carrying twins, triplets, or more babies at one time
Being obese
Preeclampsia is also more common in first pregnancies. And it is more common in people who have high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, the blood clotting disorder thrombophilia, or lupus, or conceived through IVF.
3. One of the main treatments for preeclampsia is bed rest.
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Your healthcare provider may recommend bed rest if your preeclampsia is mild and your baby is not developed enough to deliver. Bed rest usually means lying on your left side most of the time. You will also need to be watched closely. You may be able to stay home during this time. Or you may need to stay in the hospital. You may need to take medicine to lower your blood pressure. The only way to cure preeclampsia is to deliver your baby.
4. Preeclampsia can cause seizures in a pregnant person.
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Preeclampsia can lead to a condition called eclampsia. This is a life-threatening condition that causes seizures.
HELLP syndrome is a rare but life-threatening condition in pregnancy. It causes red cells in the blood to break down. It also causes problems with the liver, bleeding, and blood pressure. It's often linked with preeclampsia and eclampsia. It often develops before delivery. But it may also occur after delivery.
