Complications of preeclampsia that pregnant women and babies should be aware of

Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure even though the pregnant woman has never had a previous history of hypertension. This condition occurs because of a disruption in the placenta that blocks blood flow to both the baby and the mother. Conditions complicating preeclampsia are rare, but can be dangerous. What are the most common complications of preeclampsia? Check out the reviews in this article.

There are various complications of preeclampsia that must be watched out for

Quoted from the NHS page, the common complications of preeclampsia are:

1. Convulsions (eclampsia)

Eclampsia is a type of preeclampsia complication with muscle spasms that can be experienced by pregnant women. This condition often appears from the 20th week of pregnancy or sometime after delivery.

During an eclamptic seizure, your arms, legs, neck or jaw will involuntarily twitch repeatedly. In some cases, you can even lose consciousness and wet your bed. Seizures that are complications of preeclampsia usually last less than a minute.

Although most women recover after eclampsia, there is a small risk of permanent disability or brain damage if they have severe seizures as a complication of preeclampsia.

Quoting from the NHS, about 1 in 50 women who experience eclampsia die in this condition. Not only that, but an unborn baby can suffocate during the seizure.

From several cases that have occurred, it is known that 1 in 14 babies die from the impact of this one preeclampsia.

Research has found that a drug called magnesium sulfate can halve the risk of eclampsia and the risk of a mother dying.

This drug is now widely used for treatment after eclampsia and to treat women who may be at risk of developing preeclampsia.

2. HELPP syndrome

One of the complications of preeclampsia is HELPP Syndrome. This is a rare liver disorder and blood clot that can occur in pregnant women.

Most likely this condition occurs after the baby is born, but can appear any time after 20 weeks of pregnancy and before 20 weeks in rare cases.

HELPP syndrome itself stands for Hemolysis, Elevated Liver Enzimes and Low Platelet Count or hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count.

HELPP syndrome is dangerous like eclampsia, but it's a little more common. The only way to deal with the effects of preeclampsia is to deliver the baby as soon as possible.

3. Stroke

This complication of preeclampsia occurs because the blood supply to the brain is disrupted as a result of high blood pressure. This is known as a cerebral hemorrhage or stroke.

If the brain does not get enough oxygen and nutrients from the blood, brain cells will die, causing brain damage and even death.

4. Organ problems

The following are various organ problems that arise due to complications of preeclampsia:

Pulmonary edema

Pulmonary edema is a condition in which fluid builds up in and around the lungs, causing the lungs to stop working properly i.e. blocking the lungs from absorbing oxygen.

Kidney failure

Kidney failure is a condition in which the kidneys are no longer able to filter waste products from the blood. This causes toxins and fluids to build up in the body and can lead to complications.

Liver failure

The liver has many functions including digesting protein and fat, producing bile and removing toxins. Any damage that interferes with these functions can be fatal and result in complications.

5. Blood clotting disorders

Preeclampsia that is not treated properly can damage your blood clotting system, known medically as disseminated intravascular coagulation.

This can cause bleeding because there is not enough protein in the blood to make the blood clot.

These blood clots can reduce or block blood flow through the blood vessels and possibly damage organs.

What are the effects of preeclampsia complications for babies?

Apart from the mother, the complications of preeclampsia can also have an impact on the unborn baby. The amount of impact that can be experienced by the unborn baby depends on the gestational age when the mother has preeclampsia and how severe the mother's high blood pressure level is.

However, the main impact of complications that can be received by the baby is the baby is malnourished due to insufficient uterine-placental blood flow. This can cause delays in the growth of the unborn baby, premature birth, or stillbirth ( stillbirth ).

The disruption of blood flow to the placenta can cause the baby to become malnourished, thus interfering with the growth of the baby in the womb.

Long-term research has proven that it delays the growth of the fetus in utero or intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) can cause hypertension, coronary heart disease, and diabetes when the baby is older.

This relationship may occur because the nutrients available for growth and development in the womb are so few that the baby in the womb has to change his "program".

These “programmatic” changes are ultimately permanent in body structure, physiology and metabolism. This in turn can increase the risk of the baby developing the disease when he is an adult.

The complications of preeclampsia can also increase the risk of long-term problems associated with preterm birth, such as learning disorders, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, deafness, and blindness.

The complications of preeclampsia along with HELLP syndrome can also lead to stillbirth, which usually occurs when the placenta separates from the uterus before the baby is born (placenta abruption) which causes heavy bleeding in the mother.

How can you prevent preeclampsia complications?

Some studies may recommend that you eat more food sources that contain calcium and vitamins that can control blood pressure. This may help prevent complications of preeclampicia a little.

However, the most important thing is to carry out routine prenatal checks as recommended by the doctor. During pregnancy checks, your doctor will usually check your blood pressure.

From here, the doctor can monitor your blood pressure so that if you find signs of complications from preeclampsia, you can find them early.

If necessary, your doctor may order a urine test to see if there is protein in your urine. The presence of protein in the urine is a sign of complications of preeclampsia.

It's best to know the signs of other complications of preeclampsia so that you are more aware of the effects in the future.

Some of the common signs of complications of preeclampsia are severe dizziness, nausea and vomiting, changes in vision, and pain in the upper abdomen.

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