A condition of unknown cause occurring in about 3 percent of individuals during the last three months of pregnancy, accompanied by hypertension, fluid retention, and proteinuria (protein in the urine).
A toxemia of late pregnancy characterized by hypertension and edema may progress to eclampsia.
Toxic condition in pregnancy that precedes the full-blown phase.
A condition affecting women late in pregnancy, generally after the 20th week; it occurs in about 5 to 7 percent of all pregnancies. Symptoms include hypertension (high blood pressure), edema (fluid buildup), and protein in the urine (proteinuria), as well as more general symptoms such as headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and blurred vision. If unchecked, preeclampsia can cause severe disorders in both mother and child, especially separation of the placenta (abruptio placentae), which cuts off nourishment to the fetus, and eclampsia, which can threaten the life of both. (Preeclampsia and eclampsia are sometimes considered a mild and more severe form of a disorder called toxemia of pregnancy.) Preeclampsia is most common in first pregnancies, in women under 20 and over 40, and in those with a personal or family history of related disorders, including diabetes mellitus or kidney and urological disorders. Good nutrition, rest, and regular exercise lessen risk of the disorder. Prenatal care includes regular screening for signs of preeclampsia, which is normally treated with bed rest and drugs to bring down blood pressure. In severe cases, hospitalization and intravenous blood pressure medication may be advised; and once the mother’s condition has been stabilized, emergency delivery may be necessary, as through induction of labor or cesarean section. Causes of preeclampsia are unknown; its effects diminish after the pregnancy ends, though some damage may have been done.
Abnormal condition of pregnancy characterized by hypertension, edema, and the presence of protein in the urine. Abnormal metabolic functioning, ocular disorders, and other complications frequently occur in the pregnant woman, malnutrition and lowered birth weight, in the fetus. Untreated severe preeclampsia can lead to eclampsia and convulsions that threaten &e lives of both the mother and the fetus.
A complication of pregnancy, also known as toxemia of pregnancy, in which the woman’s blood pressure rises to an abnormal level. Symptoms include a headache, abdominal pain, nausea, and vision problems (such as blurred vision and blind spots). Sudden weight gain (more than 2 pounds in a week) due to swelling or fluid retention can also occur. One in 10 pregnant women develops preeclampsia, typically after the 20th week of a first pregnancy.
A complication occurring in about 3% to 5% of pregnancies, characterized by increasing hypertension, proteinuria, and edema. The condition may progress rapidly from mild to severe and, if untreated, to eclampsia. It is the leading cause of fetal and maternal morbidity and death, especially in underdeveloped countries.
A severe condition that occurs during the later stages of pregnancy is characterized by elevated blood pressure, excessive fluid retention, and reduced kidney function leading to the excretion of proteins directly into the urine.
A condition of toxemia in a pregnant woman, characterized by symptoms such as edema, headaches, the presence of albumin in the urine, and elevated blood pressure, but without the occurrence of convulsions.