Knowing the causes and symptoms of preeclampsia can reduce the risk of harm to the mother and fetus.Preeclampsiausually appearspthere is a gestational age of more than 20 weeks.
Preeclampsia is a pregnancy disorder characterized by high blood pressure and high protein content in the urine. This condition can harm other organs, such as the kidneys and liver.
If left untreated, preeclampsia can become eclampsia. Eclampsia is a condition of preeclampsia accompanied by seizures. This can be fatal for the mother and fetus, and can even lead to death. In infants, preeclampsia can result in premature birth and stunted fetal growth. Therefore, it is important for pregnant women to know the symptoms, causes, and how to prevent and treat preeclampsia.
Causes of Preeclampsia
The placenta is an important organ that functions to distribute blood from the mother to the baby in the womb. The emergence of preeclampsia is thought to be due to a developmental disorder in the placenta, which is caused by problems with the blood vessels supplying the placenta.
Genetic factors or a family history of preeclampsia are also thought to play a role in the mechanism of this disease. However, the exact cause of this condition is not fully understood.
Under normal circumstances, the placenta gets an abundant and constant blood supply to support the development of the baby. However, in preeclampsia, the placenta is thought to be not getting enough blood. This results in impaired blood supply to the baby. Various signals and substances from the placenta are disrupted causing the mother's blood pressure to rise.
Other factors that may influence the appearance of preeclampsia include:
- First pregnancy
- Have had preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy
- Have other medical problems, namely high blood pressure, diabetes, and lupus
- Over 40 years old
- Pregnancy interval more than 10 years from previous pregnancies
- Obesity in early pregnancy
- Pregnant with twins or more
Symptom-symptomPreeclampsia
Preeclampsia is sometimes not accompanied by certain symptoms, so pregnant women need to have regular prenatal checkups and check blood pressure. High blood pressure can be an early symptom of preeclampsia. Watch out if your blood pressure reaches 140/90 mmHg or more.
Other symptoms that may appear can include severe headaches, impaired vision, to light, shortness of breath, nausea, and vomiting. In addition, pain can appear in the upper abdomen, precisely under the right rib.
How to Overcome Preeclampsia
If a pregnant woman is detected as having preeclampsia, the doctor will carry out pregnancy checks more often than the usual routine checks. The doctor will also perform several tests to determine the condition of the baby in the womb.
The main treatment for preeclampsia is delivery. If the gestational age is not too young, usually the doctor will advise to carry out the birth process faster so as not to endanger the condition of the mother and baby in the womb.
However, if the gestational age is still too young and preeclampsia has been detected early, the doctor will do several things to overcome it. The following are some ways that can be done to treat preeclampsia.
- Lowering blood pressure
In preeclampsia, blood pressure will be high, so treatment is needed that can lower blood pressure or is called antihypertensive. Not all antihypertensive drugs are safe for pregnant women. So before taking the drug, discuss it with your doctor first.
- Give anticonvulsant drugs
Magnesium sulfate is often used to treat and prevent seizures. Doctors will give this drug if preeclampsia is severe.
- Suggest giving cortisksteroids
Corticosteroids are usually given if the pregnant woman has preeclampsia or the HELLP syndrome (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet levels). Corticosteroids can improve platelet and liver function to prevent premature labor. In addition, corticosteroids can also help mature the baby's lungs so that if it is born prematurely, the baby can breathe properly.
- Recommend hospitalization
If the preeclampsia experienced by a pregnant woman is severe, it is likely that the doctor will ask to be hospitalized so that the doctor can easily control the condition of the pregnant woman, the baby in the womb, and the level of amniotic fluid or amniotic fluid. This lack of fluid is a sign of a problem with the baby's blood supply.
It is important for a pregnant woman to carry out routine pregnancy check-ups. The goal is to be able to continue to monitor the health condition of herself and her baby so that pregnancy disorders such as preeclampsia can be overcome early on.