How do doctors treat preeclampsia

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What is preeclampsia? Can taking low-dose aspirin help reduce your risk for preeclampsia and premature birth? Being born prematurely before the 37th week of pregnancy can be dangerous for the baby, but delivery may sometimes be necessary ensure safety for both mother and baby.

Women who are at risk of pre-eclampsia may be advised to take low-dose aspirin and calcium supplements. However, you should not take any medication during pregnancy without discussing it with your doctor or midwife first. Mild pre-eclampsia is monitored with frequent antenatal appointments.

At these appointments:. Depending on your symptoms and situation, you will be asked to attend an antenatal appointment at least every 3 weeks if you are weeks into your pregnancy. After 32 weeks of pregnancy, these appointments will be more frequent. If pre-eclampsia is severe, you may need to be admitted to hospital for closer monitoring and treatment. As pre-eclampsia tends to get worse rather than better, it is unlikely you will be able to go home until after the baby is born.

Most women with pre-eclampsia will have their baby at about 37 weeks, either by induced labour or caesarean section. A baby born before the 37th week of pregnancy is premature and may not be fully developed. However, if the baby is seriously affected by pre-eclampsia or there is a strong risk of further complications, it may be necessary to deliver the baby prematurely, as this is the only way to cure pre-eclampsia.

Attempts will be made to manage pre-eclampsia until after 36 weeks of pregnancy. The premature delivery of the baby will usually be done by caesarean section through an incision in the abdomen.

You should be given information about the risks of both premature birth and pre-eclampsia, so that the best decision regarding treatment can be made. The baby might need to stay in a neonatal intensive care unit. This can replicate the functions of the womb and allow the baby to develop fully. Once it is safe to do so you will be able to take your baby home. Your body normally makes blood clots to stop bleeding after a scrape or cut. Problems with blood clots can cause serious bleeding problems.

This is a rare and life-threatening condition. This is when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted or reduced. Stroke can happen when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel that brings blood to the brain, or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts open.

Pregnancy complications from preeclampsia include: Premature birth Placental abruption. This is when the placenta separates from the wall of the uterus womb before birth.

It can separate partially or completely. If you have placental abruption, your baby may not get enough oxygen and nutrients. Vaginal bleeding is the most common symptom of placental abruption after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Intrauterine growth restriction also called IUGR. This is when a baby has poor growth in the womb.

It can happen when mom has high blood pressure that narrows the blood vessels in the uterus and placenta. The placenta grows in the uterus and supplies your baby with food and oxygen through the umbilical cord. Low birthweight Having preeclampsia increases your risk for postpartum hemorrhage also called PPH.

E-mail to a friend Please fill in all fields. Please enter a valid e-mail address. Thank you! Your e-mail was sent. Save to my dashboard Sign in or Sign up to save this page. Saving Just a moment, please. The duration of hypertension in the puerperium of preeclamptic women: relationship with renal impairment and week of delivery. Calcium supplementation during pregnancy for preventing hypertensive disorders and related problems.

Cochrane Database Syst Rev. Aspirin for the prevention of preeclampsia in women with abnormal uterine artery Doppler: a meta-analysis. Effect of antioxidants on the occurrence of preeclampsia in women at increased risk: a randomised trial. This content is owned by the AAFP.

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Contact afpserv aafp. Want to use this article elsewhere? Get Permissions. Read the Issue. Sign Up Now. Previous: The Patient with Daily Headaches. Next: Diagnosis and Treatment of Hypothermia. Dec 15, Issue. Diagnosis and Management of Preeclampsia. B 25 Pregnant women with diastolic blood pressure of to mm Hg or higher should receive antihypertension medication. C 4 , 5 Women at increased risk for preeclampsia who have low calcium intake should increase their calcium intake.

Strength of Recommendations Key clinical recommendation Label References All pregnant women should be screened for preeclampsia at the first prenatal visit and periodically throughout the remainder of the pregnancy.

Preeclampsia as a Hypertensive Disorder of Pregnancy Figure 1. TABLE 2 Risk Factors for Preeclampsia Pregnancy-associated factors Chromosomal abnormalities Hydatidiform mole Hydrops fetalis Multifetal pregnancy Oocyte donation or donor insemination Structural congenital anomalies Urinary tract infection Maternal-specific factors Age greater than 35 years Age less than 20 years Black race Family history of preeclampsia Nulliparity Preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy Specific medical conditions: gestational diabetes, type I diabetes, obesity, chronic hypertension, renal disease, thrombophilias Stress Paternal-specific factors First-time father Previously fathered a preeclamptic pregnancy in another woman Information from references 4 and 8.

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Best Value! To see the full article, log in or purchase access. More in Pubmed Citation Related Articles. Email Alerts Don't miss a single issue. Sign up for the free AFP email table of contents. Navigate this Article. Severe preeclampsia. Pregnancy-associated factors. Chromosomal abnormalities. Oocyte donation or donor insemination. Structural congenital anomalies. Urinary tract infection. Maternal-specific factors. Age greater than 35 years.

Age less than 20 years. Family history of preeclampsia. Preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy. Paternal-specific factors. Previously fathered a preeclamptic pregnancy in another woman.

Women at high risk for eclampsia. Urine protein collection 12 or 24 hour. Serum creatinine level.