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How Do I Know If I Have Preeclampsia?

If you notice rapid weight gain and swelling in your face or arms, make an appointment to see your doctor. He or she will check your blood pressure and take a urine sample to look for protein in your urine. A blood pressure consistently greater than 140/90 is above the normal range. If you are diagnosed with preeclampsia your doctor may also do tests to check your liver, kidneys and clotting cells (platelets).

What Are the Treatments?

Treatment varies based on the severity of the disease, the stage of the pregnancy, and the health of the mother and baby.

If a woman is near the end of her pregnancy and has mild preeclampsia, she will likely be induced. If a woman is not near the end of her pregnancy and has mild preeclampsia, she will most likely be put on bed rest in the hospital so that she can be observed carefully. In very rare cases, a woman with mild preeclampsia may be able to go on bed rest at home once her blood pressure has been normalized, but she must seek medical care immediately if she experiences any symptoms of preeclampsia.

Careful follow-up of the mother and her baby is a major part of treatment. If at anytime time the mother's condition worsens or the baby is not doing well, her doctor will recommend delivering the baby either vaginally or by cesarean section.

If mild preeclampsia progresses to severe disease, medicine (magnesium sulfate) will be given to prevent the woman from having a seizure, and antihypertensive drugs will be administered to lower the mother's blood pressure.

If the fetus is close to term and/or his or her lungs are developed, immediate delivery is usually recommended. In women with the full-blown condition, delivery is immediate regardless of the age of the fetus.

For the majority of women with preeclampsia or eclampsia, blood pressure returns to normal within 24 hours after having their baby.