Pre-eclampsia
Pre-eclampsia is a condition that affects some pregnant women, usually during the second half ofpregnancy (from around 20 weeks) or soon aftertheir baby is delivered.
Early signs ofpre-eclampsiaincludehaving high blood pressure (hypertension) and protein in your urine (proteinuria).It's unlikely that you'll noticethese signs, but they should be picked up during your routine antenatal appointments .
In some cases, further symptoms can develop, including:
If you notice any symptoms of pre-eclampsia, seek medical advice immediately by calling your midwife, GP surgery or NHS 111.
Although many cases are mild, the condition can lead to serious complications for both mother and baby if it's not monitored and treated (see below).The earlier pre-eclampsia is diagnosed and monitored, the better the outlook for mother and baby.
This will normally be at around 37-38 weeks of pregnancy, but it may be earlier in more severe cases.
At this point, labour may be started artificially ( induced ) or you may have a caesarean section .
Medication may be recommended to lower your blood pressure while you wait for your baby to be delivered.
Thesefits can be life-threatening for the mother and baby, butthey'rerare.
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Pre-eclampsia is a condition that affects some pregnant women, usually during the second half of pregnancy (from around 20 weeks) or soon after their baby is delivered.
Pre-eclampsia rarely happens before the 20th week of pregnancy. Most cases occur after 24-26 weeks and usually towards the end of pregnancy.
Pre-eclampsia is thought to be caused by the placenta not developing properly due to a problem with the blood vessels supplying it. The exact cause isn't fully understood.
Pre-eclampsia is easily diagnosed during the routine checks you have while you're pregnant.
Pre-eclampsia can only be cured by delivering the baby. If you have pre-eclampsia, you'll be closely monitored until it's possible to deliver the baby.
Although they're rare, a number of complications can develop if pre-eclampsia isn't diagnosed and monitored.