Pre-eclampsia

Pre-eclampsia is a disease of pregnancy that affects the placenta. The well-being of both mother and baby are at risk if pre-eclampsia develops into full-blown eclampsia. There is no cure for pre-eclampsia; resting in bed doesn’t help. The only thing to do is for the baby to be born as soon as possible, either by Caesarean section or by inducing labour.

• High blood pressure
• Protein in the urine
• Swelling (oedema)
• Severe headaches and visual disturbances
• Pain in the upper abdomen

High blood pressure

Your midwife will record your blood pressure in your notes each time you attend clinic. She might write 120/70, for example, which would be quite normal. However, if the bottom figure starts to creep up over the second half of pregnancy, this could be a sign of pre-eclampsia.

Pre-eclampsia is dangerous because the placenta only functions well if your blood pressure is within certain limits and very high blood pressure prevents it from transferring oxygen and nourishment to your baby efficiently. Your own health is also at risk if your blood pressure is very high, although you probably won’t feel unwell.

Sometimes your blood pressure goes up because you’ve rushed to the clinic, or you’re very stressed. Once you’ve rested, it should come down again and this is how your midwife distinguishes between high blood pressure that means pre-eclampsia and high blood pressure that is a temporary reaction to stress.

Even if you only have high blood pressure and none of the other signs of pre-eclampsia, your obstetrician may still advise you to have your labour induced because of the risk to the placenta and hence to your baby caused by raised blood pressure.

Protein in the urine

Each time you go for an antenatal check up, you are asked to give a sample of urine and this is tested for protein (among other things). Your kidneys don’t normally allow protein to pass out in the urine; if they are leaking protein, this may be a sign of pre-eclampsia.

Swelling (oedema)

Swelling is not a very reliable sign of pre-eclampsia. Most women experience some swelling during pregnancy and it is a normal reaction to the difficulty your blood has in circulating because of your growing tummy. However, if swelling happens very suddenly and is very pronounced, it could be a sign of pre-eclampsia.

Severe headaches and visual disturbances

If you develop a really bad headache that isn’t a migraine and that you don’t think has been caused by stress, and if you find that you have spots in front of your eyes and your vision is blurred, you should contact your GP or midwife straight away. These can be signs of pre-eclampsia produced by very high blood pressure.

Pain in the upper abdomen

Let your midwife know if you have pain just below your ribs on the right hand side of your abdomen. The pain that comes with pre-eclampsia is not the kind of pain that you have with a tummy ache or that you get when your baby’s heels are lodged just beneath your ribs! The pain is actually associated with your liver being affected by the widespread changes in your body that pre-eclampsia causes.