Eclampsia in pregnancy: what it is and what its symptoms are

During pregnancy, it is important to control the tension because it increases the possibility of presenting certain complications related to blood pressure. One of them is preeclampsia, characterized by high blood pressure and protein in the urine, which if it is not detected in time, it could have serious consequences for both the mother and the baby.

When this happens, and preeclampsia evolves without being controlled, it can lead to eclampsia, the most serious state of hypertensive disease in pregnancy. We tell you everything you need to know about this hypertensive disorder.

What is eclampsia?

The term "eclampsia" comes from the Greek éklampsis ek (s) "from the inside out", lamp- "shine" and -síā and means "lightning." Formerly, with this word we wanted to indicate the sudden or sudden appearance of a storm In a calm sky.

In Babies and more What is preeclampsia: risk factors, symptoms, prevention and treatment

Eclampsia in pregnancy or puerperium, It is the most severe state of hypertensive disease, and is characterized by the appearance of seizures (ie "storm") or coma after the twentieth week of pregnancy, in childbirth or in the first hours of postpartum, without these seizures having any relationship with other neurological conditions.

Such seizures usually present in a pregnant woman who has gone through preeclampsia, an earlier stage of the disease that was not controlled in time and evolved, triggering eclampsia. This happens in about 1 in 2,000 to 3,000 pregnancies.

Causes of eclampsia

The exact causes of eclampsia are unknown, but it is thought that There are certain factors that can play a role: vascular problems, brain and nervous system (neurological) factors, the mother's diet and genes.

Because eclampsia is the most serious state of preeclampsia, The risk factors are similar:

  • Be under 18 years of age or over 35.
  • Make it the first pregnancy.
  • Having high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease or having an autoimmune disease.
  • Having a multiple pregnancy
  • Weigh less than 50 kilos or suffer from obesity.
  • Having presented preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy.

Symptoms of eclampsia

Before talking about the symptoms of eclampsia, it is important review the symptoms of preeclampsia, since being the previous stage, it is important to recognize them in time:

  • High blood pressure.
  • Present protein in the urine.
  • Eye problems, such as blurred vision, twinkling lights, seeing points or being sensitive to light.
  • Nausea, vomiting or dizziness.
  • Severe headaches that do not seem to diminish or disappear.
  • Pain in the right side, under the ribs or in the right shoulder.
  • Rapid and sudden weight gain.
  • Not feeling the need to urinate frequently.
  • Edema or swelling in legs, hands, face and / or ankles.
  • Difficulty breathing.
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Most women with preeclampsia do not develop until they have seizures and it is difficult to predict who will have them. But nevertheless, it is possible for a pregnant woman with preeclampsia to evolve to eclampsia, if the following symptoms are also observed

  • Abnormal blood tests
  • Headaches.
  • Very high blood pressure
  • Changes in vision
  • Abdominal pain.

If preeclampsia has become eclampsia, then the symptoms are as follows:

  • Muscle aches or pains
  • Epileptic crisis (seizures)
  • Intense agitation
  • Decreased level of consciousness or loss of consciousness

The doctor must perform a physical examination to look for the causes of the seizures and the blood pressure and respiratory rate are checked regularly. Blood and urine tests can also be done to check different levels.

Prevention and treatment

The best thing to prevent preeclampsia from evolving to eclampsia is voluntary termination of pregnancy, delivery of the fetus and expulsion of the placenta. During childbirth, women with eclampsia or preeclampsia have an increased risk of separation of the placenta, premature delivery that leads to complications in the baby and blood clotting problems.

Usually, the goal is carefully monitor pregnancy to delay the delivery date as much as possible and thus reduce the complications of premature delivery, ensuring that serious cases reach up to weeks 32 to 34 of pregnancy, and mild cases until they have gone from 36 to 37 weeks.

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If the mother has already had seizures, anticonvulsant medications can be given to prevent them, as well as prescribe medications to lower blood pressure.

The symptoms of preeclampsia usually disappear completely six weeks after delivery, but in some very rare cases, high blood pressure worsens in the days after delivery and can cause eclampsia in the puerperium, so It is important to be attentive to symptoms also during postpartum.

If in doubt consult your doctor

Some of the symptoms of preeclampsia can be confused with other discomforts of pregnancy, so they could go unnoticed at first and evolve to eclampsia if it is not detected in time. If you have a history of high blood pressure, suffer from diabetes or kidney disease, or get one or more of the above mentioned symptoms, you should consult your doctor.

Photos | iStock, Thinkstock

Video: Preeclampsia Video - Brigham and Women's Hospital (March 2024).