Pre-eclampsia is a condition in which pregnant women have a high blood pressure at high durations, accompanied by an elevated protein content in the urine. In addition, patients with this diagnosis are characterized by swelling of the extremities. Usually preeclampsia and eclampsia occur at the end of the second or the beginning of the third trimester, that is, in the second half of pregnancy, but may be noted much earlier.
Eclampsia of pregnant women is the last phase of preeclampsia, its most severe form that occurs when there is no timely quality treatment. The signs of eclampsia include all those that occur with pre-eclampsia, and convulsions may also occur. Eclampsia during pregnancy is dangerous for both the mother and the fetus, because it can cause death or both. There are cases of postpartum eclampsia.
The causes of preeclampsia and eclampsia of pregnant women
Scientists at the moment did not come to a common opinion about what is the cause of these diseases. There are about 30 theories of the occurrence of eclampsia, including the viral nature of eclampsia.
However, some factors are recognized as provocative:
- excessive amount of fat in the body of the mother or obesity;
- unsatisfactory nutrition;
- weak blood flow in the uterus;
- too early pregnancy;
- the mother's age is more than 40 years;
- chronic arterial hypertension;
- cases of pre-eclampsia earlier;
- genetic predisposition;
- multiple pregnancies;
- the presence of kidney disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis or lupus erythematosus.
The main signs of preeclampsia
In addition to hypertension, edema of the hands and feet, a protein in the urine, signs of pre-eclampsia are:
- fluid retention in the body;
- rapid increase in body weight;
- stomach ache;
- severe headaches due to elevated blood pressure;
- decrease in the volume of urine;
- change of reflexes;
- frequent dizziness;
- severe nausea and multiple vomiting.
The consequences of eclampsia, its effect on the fetus
Pre-eclampsia threatens the fetus with a violation of the blood flow through the placenta, because of which the child can get serious developmental disorders and be born underdeveloped. It is worth noting that pre-eclampsia is one of the main causes of premature birth and such serious pathologies of newborns as epilepsy, cerebral palsy, hearing and vision impairment.
Eclampsia of pregnant women - treatment
The only way to treat eclampsia is to give birth to an infant. Only with the mildest degree of the disease, accompanied by a small amount of protein in the urine and blood pressure to 140/90, is allowed therapy in the form of restriction of the activity of the pregnant woman. But with the risk of labor before the term, pre-eclampsia requires specific treatment. Often, with eclampsia, calcium gluconate and bed rest are prescribed.
Prevention of eclampsia includes:
- control of fluid intake;
- the use of magnesia to prevent seizures and elevated blood pressure;
- The use of hydralazine and other drugs when placed to hypertension.
With eclampsia, accompanied by cramps, emergency emergency care is needed. A pregnant woman in the last trimester with a severe form of eclampsia needs urgent birth. Slowness in such cases is fraught with a lethal outcome.
After the detection of eclampsia in early pregnancy, a therapy and a complete examination are performed. In most cases, with proper treatment, the mother and fetus experience improvement. Physicians always try to hold out until the time at which it will be possible to conduct cesarean section.