How Much Do You Know About Preeclampsia?

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.

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.

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.

Preeclampsia can lead to a condition called eclampsia. This is a life-threatening condition that causes seizures.