Preeclampsia
This is a disease that typically occurs during pregnancy and one of the main causes of complications for pregnant women and new-born babies. It is characterized by high blood pressure and signs of damage to other organs, such as the liver and kidneys.
Symptoms
Symptoms are unspecific and often appear in any pregnant woman: Headaches, swollen legs, stomach-ache, feeling “foggy”, buzzing in the ears. It is not symptomatic, the diagnosis is mainly made by measuring blood pressure and blood and urine tests.
Who is affected by the disease?
Pregnant women over 20 weeks into pregnancy. Women who are black, elderly, obese or have a diagnosis of high blood pressure or diabetes before pregnancy are at greater risk.
Diagnosis
Blood pressure> 140/90 repeatedly and persistently accompanied by proteinuria (protein in the urine) or blood, kidney or liver alterations reported in blood tests.
Typical treatment
There is no treatment, though the signs and symptoms can be controlled for a few days / weeks, the definitive treatment is childbirth.
Typical tests
Blood and urine tests. Foetal ultrasound and Doppler.
Prevention
In patients with high risk of preeclampsia it can be prevented with aspirin. A tablet must be taken every day from the first-trimester ultrasound and until the 36th week of pregnancy.
