Preeclampsia
Samantha Roth
Professor Humpfer
Nursing 245/248
09 November 2014

Preeclampsia
My main focus is on preeclampsia. I am going to talk about what it is, the signs and symptoms, the treatments, outcomes of having preeclampsia, and also things it can progress into. Preeclampsia is the most common medical complication of pregnancy and is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality for mother and affects 5-8% of the pregnant population. Preeclampsia is characterized by high blood pressure and signs of damage to another organ system, often the kidneys. Preeclampsia can be mild to severe, and usually begins after 20 weeks of pregnancy in a woman whose blood pressure had been normal. If not treated this can further progress into eeclampsia, HELLP syndrome, and then to DIC. Preeclampsia is defined as the presence of hypertension (B/P -140/90 mm Hg) on two occasions, at least 4-6 hours. Severe preeclampsia can be defined as the presence of one of the following symptoms or signs:
1. SBP of 160 mm Hg or higher or DBP 110 mm Hg
2. Raise in systolic blood pressure of at least 30 mm Hg
3. Raise in diastolic blood pressure of at least 20 mm Hg
4. Pulmonary edema or cyanosis
5. Oliguria
6. Persistent headaches
7. Epigastric pain and/or impaired liver function
8. Thrombocytopenia
9. Decreased fetal growth, or placental abruption
There are a few ways that these issues can be treated. Delivery is the best way to make the preeclampsia go away. Sometime though it can start at an early gestation where it is too risky to deliver the baby due to it being underdeveloped at that point in time. Other methods include 1.) Bed rest 2.) Magnesium Sulfate 3.) Antihypertensive 4.) Corticosteroid (severe preeclampsia or HELLP) 5.) Hospitalization
There was a study done to assess obstetrical outcomes in a sample of nulliparous gestations with preeclampsia, as compared to gestations without preeclampsia, attended in the Enrique C. Sotomayor Hospital of Guayaquil, Ecuador. According to (You et al., 2014), “Almost three-quarters (73.3%) of preeclampsia cases were defined as severe. Compared to normal gestations, preeclampsia cases had higher anthropometric indices (neck and mid-arm circumference) and had more oligohydramnios, cesarean sections, transfusions, distressed fetuses, and adverse perinatal outcomes such as, lower Apgar scores at birth, and more preterm births, lower birth weight and small for gestational age infants. Gestations with preeclampsia had a negative impact on maternal and perinatal outcomes compared to gestations without preeclampsia.” This should be more than enough reason to follow your doctors’ order and monitor your blood pressure.
One thing that preeclampsia can lead to eeclampsia. This is where they have the same symptoms of preeclampsia, but it is diagnosed eeclampsia after the patient has had at least one