Women with severe preeclampsia can experience significant health effects during pregnancy. Along with elevated blood pressure and excessive levels of protein in the urine, severe forms of preeclampsia can also cause damage to the kidneys and liver, decreased blood platelet count, fluid accumulation in the lungs, visual issues, and other symptoms.
Severe preeclampsia often requires hospitalization. Patients may receive one or more of the following treatments, depending on the seriousness of their symptoms.
Mild forms of preeclampsia usually involve monitoring, but a risk of more serious complications can result in the following treatments:
Hospitalization may be necessary with particularly severe symptoms related to preeclampsia. While hospitalized, doctors can continually monitor your condition and provide treatment as needed.
In the event that medical staff is concerned about the severity of preeclampsia symptoms, they may choose to induce labour. Because there are risks associated with early birth, doctors will do all they can to allow the pregnancy to progress as far a long as possible. However, if the risks posed by preeclampsia are so severe that the health of the mother is in jeopardy, the doctor may strongly encourage an early delivery.
After giving birth, the symptoms of preeclampsia usually resolve within days or weeks. However, some women will continue to experience elevated blood pressure levels for weeks afterwards. In this case, the regimen of blood pressure medication will continue until levels return to normal.