Care for pregnant women with pre-eclampsia – In previous articles such as Be careful with this disease if you suffer from high blood pressure and What is a high-risk pregnancy?, we told you a little about pre-eclampsia. This condition, although most of the time it has no symptoms, represents a high risk for the pregnant woman and her baby.
According to the National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus website, pre-eclampsia should be reviewed based on 2 criteria:
- Gestational age
- severity of pre-eclampsia (mild or severe)
Pre-eclampsia usually disappears with delivery, as the placenta that causes it is removed, but some pregnant women may experience it up to 48 hours after giving birth. This is known as postpartum pre-eclampsia.
If pre-eclampsia occurs after 37 weeks gestation, the mother is usually given medication to speed up labour. In the case of earlier stages of pregnancy, care varies according to the severity of the condition.
Care for pregnant women with mild pre-eclampsia
The rest period can be carried out at home, under the supervision of your doctor. Home rest does not mean complete rest; the doctor will determine the level of physical activity that the pregnant woman can do during the rest period.
The treatment will probably be accompanied by medication to help lower blood pressure, and the administration of this medication should be done under the supervision of the doctor. Any medication that the pregnant woman wishes to take must first be approved by her doctor.
Other measures to take at home would be to periodically measure your blood pressure, be on the lookout for protein in your urine. Monitor the amount of fluid you drink, and the change in your baby’s weight. Also keep an eye on how many times a day your baby kicks or moves around.
Care for pregnant women with severe pre-eclampsia
If your doctor determines that your pre-eclampsia poses a threat to you or the baby, you will be instructed to stay in the hospital for the remainder of your gestational weeks. This is to keep a close watch on your pregnancy, and to prevent the baby or mother from suffering life-threatening consequences.
The mother’s blood pressure, blood sugar levels, hydration status, etc. will be continuously monitored. Among the most serious consequences of pre-eclampsia are the following:
- Inadequate infant growth
- Kidney damage, seizures, stroke or liver bleeding in the mother.
- Placental abruption and subsequent foetal death.
Correctly treated pre-eclampsia aims to save the life of the mother and her baby, so it is important that you follow the care recommended by your doctor to the letter. And if you feel you may be going through this situation, we offer you the most complete tests for your prenatal stage:
Diveana Rodriguez
Content Marketing Specialist for websites and social networks +10 years experience in creative writing for different fields AIESEC Alumni Bachelor of Social Communication with specialization in Marketing and Corporate Communications (UCAB)