Preeclampsia in pregnant women: causes, symptoms, treatment, diet, prevention

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Every woman who is lucky enough to become a mother is well aware of all the peculiarities of the course of pregnancy, where constant monitoring by doctors plays an important role: regular examinations, including ultrasound, weighing, tests and a number of other necessary procedures. Some representatives of the fair sex consider such excessive guardianship an interference in their personal lives. However, in reality, this allows you to timely detect various diseases, among which preeclampsia is listed. Therefore, pregnant women simply cannot do without such “guardianship”, since it is vital.

Many mothers may be interested in why you need to get on the scale every time during a routine examination? The fact is that an increase in extra pounds indicates swelling, which, in turn, may indicate the development of preeclampsia (toxicosis). What is this pathology and is it dangerous for the mother and her child?

General information about the disease

A disease such as preeclampsia can be considered a kind of side effect of pregnancy, itobserved in many women who are in an interesting position. And as practice shows, it is 30%. Fortunately, after the birth of a child, the pathology disappears.

Does everyone know how many kilograms the weight of a pregnant woman increases? Knowledgeable people will immediately say - by 10, and they will be right. But the extra 20-25 kg should already alert, because this is precisely what indicates the presence of edema, which may be latent. Only here everything does not end with edema.

The presence of signs of preeclampsia in pregnant women indicates a violation of the vital activity of the female body and can sometimes lead to a variety of consequences against the background of convulsions or seizures. Is it worth mentioning at all that expectant mothers should never self-medicate?! Otherwise, you can harm not only yourself, but also the child.

The Phantom Menace

Preeclampsia is a serious disease that can lead to maternal death. And this pathology, in addition to everything else, for quite a long time does not make itself felt, what is its danger. It is for this reason that every pregnant woman is weighed during a routine examination to detect excess weight.

During the development of the baby, the maternal placenta produces substances that damage the blood vessels. Because of this, plasma protein enters the muscle tissue, which, in fact, causes swelling.

And this is already overweight. And the more swelling develops, the more difficult it is for the female body, due to the constant loss of fluid, to pump blood through the vascular systemfor normal circulation. For this reason, blood pressure rises.

Ultimately, gestosis in pregnant women leads to a deterioration in the general condition, the supply of oxygen to the body of the mother and child is reduced, which can provoke convulsions. But sometimes there are more serious consequences:

• placental abruption, retinal abruption;
• heart failure;
• heart attack;
• pulmonary edema;
• stroke.

Due to the latent course, the disease manifests itself by the 34-35th week of pregnancy, that is, the beginning of the third trimester. But in some cases, signs of preeclampsia can be detected as early as the 20th week. Therefore, doctors are constantly monitoring expectant mothers to keep their he alth under control.

Forms of manifestation of pathology

There are two forms of preeclampsia: early and late. Moreover, in the latter case, there is a serious threat - both for the woman herself and for her child. For this reason, when this disease is detected in a severe form, experts recommend resorting to a caesarean section or inducing premature birth.

Moreover, if the disease is detected at the 20th week of pregnancy, then this can be considered early preeclampsia in pregnant women. However, pathology can occur in mothers at the 28th week - this is already a severe form. More on all this below.

Features of early preeclampsia

Nausea, vomiting and other symptoms are observed in almost all pregnant women, and for this reason such phenomenaalready considered the norm. In reality, this is not so. The process of bearing a child in itself is a normal state of a woman's body, and any ailments should not bother her.

Therefore, if the expectant mother feels changes in well-being, it is better to immediately consult a doctor for advice. This will clarify everything and identify the presence of a threat. Three stages of manifestation are characteristic of early preeclampsia:

• Mild - Nausea and vomiting occur no more than 5 times a day.
• Medium - symptoms appear slightly more often, but no more than 10 times a day.
• Severe - here we are talking about 20 manifestations per day.

In the case when early preeclampsia in pregnant women manifests itself too brightly, doctors prescribe the appropriate treatment. What is characteristic, exactly how early toxicosis proceeds, has not yet been studied by physicians. But experts are of some opinion: this is a kind of pathological reaction of a woman to pregnancy. Several mechanisms can be distinguished here at once: immune, allergic, toxic, reflex and neurogenic.

Late preeclampsia

The late form of toxicosis is considered the most dangerous due to complications. The exact reasons for its development by scientists have not yet been determined. According to one version, preeclampsia occurs due to the immunological incompatibility of the female body and the fetus. Other experts are of a different opinion. According to their version, hormonal changes and other processes are to blame. In addition, cases of a late form of preeclampsia have recently begun to be detected more often.

As noted by mostobstetricians, the number of late births increased. As a rule, if a woman gives birth at the age of 35, then she already has some diseases in a chronic form, which begin to worsen during pregnancy. As a result, the whole process of bearing a child does not go so smoothly.

Late gestosis of pregnant women has several stages:

• Dropsy.
• Nephropathy.
• Preeclampsia.
• Eclampsia.

Let's analyze these manifestations in more detail.

Dropsy

Refers to the very first stage, its characteristic features are the appearance of edema on the face, body, limbs. Often they can be hidden, but weight gain should already be alarming. However, there are some first signs that indicate the appearance of edema. This is numbness of the limbs and fingers, they become naughty: it is difficult to bend and unbend them, it is almost impossible to put on any jewelry like rings. At the same time, the cause of edema may be different - a chronic kidney or heart disease.

To confirm the diagnosis, a McClure-Aldrich test is performed. To do this, a small amount of saline is injected under the skin, and by the degree of its resorption, doctors can judge whether there is swelling.

A sign of open edema is 3 liters in a woman's body, or even more. The accumulation of fluid begins with the feet, then the legs and thighs swell, the stomach begins to swell and finally the head. If signs of swelling are found, seek medical attention immediately.

Nephropathy

Against the background of edema, the second stage of late preeclampsia in pregnant women can occur, and another pathology is added to them, which is expressed in a violation of the kidneys. A characteristic symptom is high blood pressure. And this, in turn, leads to other unpleasant complications. Here and sudden bleeding, and abruption of the placenta, which sometimes leads to the death of the fetus.

Although the complication is localized in the kidneys, there is no serious harm from this. Usually, after the birth of a child, a woman soon forgets about such an ailment. But if treatment is not done in a timely manner, this threatens with more complex and serious consequences, as the pathology passes into another form.

Preeclampsia

This is already the third stage of preeclampsia, in which the pressure is 160 to 110. As a result, a number of the following characteristic signs can be observed:

• severe headache;
• flies in the eyes;
• vomit;
• nausea;
• mental disorder;
• memory loss.

It is not difficult to detect this type of complication, since it is during this period that plasma protein enters the urine. To identify this condition, it is enough to pass the appropriate analysis.

Eclampsia

Is the most severe and dangerous form of preeclampsia in pregnant women, which can manifest itself in different ways:

• convulsions;
• heart attack;
• stroke;
• pulmonary edema;
• kidney failure.

Regarding cramps, they can be strong and pulling or not so intense. And they comeattacks for several minutes, but they can end with a temporary loss of consciousness. In some cases, a woman may fall into a coma, bypassing the stage of convulsions.

What is the danger of pathology?

Preeclampsia poses a threat to mother and child, primarily because of the complications it causes. Through his fault, internal organs begin to suffer, and often these are the liver, kidneys, lungs and even the heart. Especially dangerous are cases when blood circulation is disturbed and blood pressure rises.

One of the most serious complications in the presence of symptoms of preeclampsia in pregnant women is yellow acute atrophy of the liver, which can be fatal. Fortunately, such cases are quite rare. Usually, when the toxicosis passes favorably, the symptoms that appear go away at the 12th week of pregnancy. Otherwise, you can judge the presence of pathology.

Due to blockage of blood vessels, hemorrhage occurs, cerebral edema can provoke interruptions in the work of many body systems. Because of this, there is a risk of a coma. In addition, constant vomiting leads to dehydration of the woman's body. And due to lack of fluid in the fetus, asphyxia occurs or the placenta begins to exfoliate.

As statistics show, it is precisely because of preeclampsia of mild or moderate degree that every 10th pregnancy ends prematurely. In a severe form of pathology, the probability of such an outcome increases to 20%, and with eclampsia, it is even worse - every third pregnancy is interrupted.

Early and late anywaypreeclampsia in pregnant women does not affect the child in the best way. Those children who were born to mothers with the last stage of gestosis grew up sickly and with a weakened immune system. On top of that, developmental delay was clearly expressed.

The woman herself is also very much at risk, because we are talking about her life. Therefore, many doctors insist on surgical intervention if necessary, since this is the only way to save the baby and his mother.

Treatment of disease

If the disease is mild, then the treatment is carried out on an outpatient basis. With mild or moderate swelling in a pregnant woman, therapy takes place in the pathology department. If the edema is more pronounced and there are signs of preeclampsia, then the expectant mother is sent to the intensive care unit. Unfortunately, it is not possible to completely cure the pathology. The only way out is to constantly monitor its course, preventing the occurrence of serious complications.

Therefore, the whole point of the so-called treatment of preeclampsia in pregnant women is to restore the normal state of the female body. And only a doctor has the right to prescribe certain drugs, so a woman who still decides to do without medical care runs the risk of aggravating her condition.

As a rule, pregnant women with preeclampsia are prescribed infusion therapy using droppers. This allows you to replenish the loss of fluid in the body, as well as eliminate a number of symptoms. In addition, other measures apply. In particular, we are talking about the removal of fluid accumulated in the tissues, replenishmentprotein stores and pressure reduction.

As for medicines, it is usually prescribed to take sedatives like valerian, motherwort. With eclampsia, you need to take already stronger sedative drugs. In addition, the woman will be prescribed a course of medication that will prevent the development of placental insufficiency.

Necessary measures

As mentioned above, the causes of preeclampsia in pregnant women have not yet been properly determined. Therefore, treatment in the usual sense as such does not exist. But at the same time, if preeclampsia does not progress and is controllable, there is no need to induce labor (at the very least). The entire treatment regimen is developed on a strictly individual basis, since many factors must be taken into account:

• severity of disease;
• presence of comorbidities;
• fetal condition.

When a mild degree is detected, therapy begins immediately. The reason for making emergency decisions are those cases when there is no improvement for a certain time:

• 7-10 days for moderate severity.
• 1 to 3 days for severe disease.
• Three hours for pre-eclampsia.

In this case, no diet for preeclampsia of pregnant women will help, the very extreme measure is needed - premature delivery. Moreover, the method is selected depending on the condition of the mother and child. If the situation allows, then childbirth takes place naturally usingepidural anesthesia. Otherwise, a forced measure is taken - a caesarean section. Only in this way it is still possible to save the child, and nothing will threaten the life of the mother.

In any case, if a woman is scheduled for hospitalization, it is highly recommended not to refuse it. After all, it is impossible to provide timely medical care at home. And the ambulance still needs to wait.

Prevention of preeclampsia in pregnant women

No woman is immune from this disease, at the same time, you can make sure that it does not go into a more severe stage. And this requires prevention. What can be done? Actually, it is recommended to adhere to the following:

• Any future mother needs to monitor her weight, and not only during pregnancy, but even before it occurs. Everything needs control, and if extra pounds are gaining rapidly, you should change the diet. Normally, weight gain is no more than 300 grams per week, otherwise this is the first alarming sign. The maximum increase by the 38th week should be 12 kg.
• Stick to a thoughtful menu, diet for preeclampsia of pregnant women.
• Pregnancy is not a reason to postpone yoga, if possible, you can even go swimming, but everything should be within the normal range.
• Try to walk more in the fresh air.
• Having mastered breathing exercises in advance, you can prepare yourself for the upcoming birth.
• It is important to adhere to the correct daily routine, in particular, sleep should last at least 8 hours.
• Don't shy away fromscheduled check-ups at the gynecologist.

But besides this, you need to remember about proper nutrition, and more on that below.

Special Diet

As a preventive measure, you should stick to the right diet. Since the child needs “building material” to form the cells of the future organism, dairy products, lean meat, eggs, and fish should be consumed. In addition, you can not do without vitamins, minerals, fiber, which are abundant in vegetables and fruits. And fiber is especially important because, with a minimum amount of calories, it helps to satisfy hunger.

Such nutrition for preeclampsia in pregnant women has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract - constipation and other complications such as hemorrhoids will not disturb, which many pregnant women suffer from.

If possible, it is better to limit the consumption of s alty foods, as well as the s alt itself, or even completely eliminate them from your diet, at least for the period of pregnancy. The same applies to everything floury and sweet: ice cream, cakes, sweets, cakes. All these sweets are better to find a worthy replacement in the form of fruits

The main thing is not to eat everything and too much, motivating yourself that now you need to eat for two. This approach is incorrect, since it is not the quantity of products that matters, but the quality of writing, so that it contains all the most necessary elements. Otherwise, obesity threatens, from which there is no benefit.

Something about liquid

Despite the threat of preeclampsia in pregnant women (inin particular, this applies more to edema), fluid is still needed, but in moderation - no more than 1.0-1.5 liters per day, including soups, teas, compotes. S alt will retain fluid in the body, and therefore it is better to refrain from pickled cucumbers and other similar products.

You can remove excess moisture with a decoction of bearberry, rosehip, cranberry juice, kidney tea. Just before that, you need to coordinate everything with the doctor. He will prescribe Cyston, Canephron and a number of other drugs.

What do people think about preeclampsia

On the Internet you can find forums dedicated to a wide variety of topics. And pregnancy is no exception. Many women who shared their condition experienced toxicosis in various manifestations. At the same time, many indicated in their reviews: preeclampsia in pregnant women should not be ignored, hoping that it will pass by itself. At the slightest deviation in the state of he alth, you should immediately visit a doctor. He examines the expectant mother, determines the cause of the malaise, rapid weight gain. It is important only to obey the doctors and try to follow all their recommendations. After all, what could be more precious than the birth of a full-fledged and he althy child?!

Conclusion

The disease described in this article belongs to the category of dangerous pathologies if it has already passed into a severe stage. Any woman wants to hug a full-fledged, he althy, but most importantly - a living child to her breast!

And for this, the expectant mother has a long and difficult path to go, for which she must prepare in advance. Here will bethe well-known saying is appropriate - "Take care of your he alth from a young age"!