Preeclampsia is a medical condition that causes a dangerous spike in blood pressure during pregnancy. It also causes higher than normal levels of protein within the urine, which can impact kidney function.
Mild preeclampsia requires timely treatment to prevent more serious effects, such as decreased blood platelet counts and damage to the kidneys and liver, from occurring. Here is what you can expect when it comes to treatment.
With mild forms of preeclampsia, doctors typically recommend monitoring to ensure the condition does not get any worse. In this case, you may need to attend regular visits with your doctor to check your blood pressure and undergo testing to determine liver and kidney function.
If the condition becomes worse, your doctor may recommend one or more of the following medications:
If the effects are severe, your doctor may choose to induce labour depending on where you are in the pregnancy.
Certain risk factors can increase the chances of experiencing preeclampsia during pregnancy. Some risk factors are more serious than others, such as preeclampsia during a prior pregnancy, multiple births, and certain medical conditions (including types 1 and 2 diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and kidney disease).
Other risk factors, such as being obese, being 35 or older, and having a family history, can moderately increase your risk. Based on these factors, doing the following can reduce your chances of this medical condition:
Some doctors advise their patients to take a baby aspirin every day of their pregnancy, which can help lower one’s preeclampsia risk. However, you should only do so if you have been advised by your doctor.