Pre-Eclampsa-what?! A Medical Breakdown

So since you now my own history and passion for Preeclampsia I may start giving you what I know you're just dying for and that's the medical facts and some medical research. For starters, back in the day Preeclampsia was called Toxemia and is a disease found in pregnant women typically in their 2nd or 3rd trimester of gestation of high blood pressure (140/90) and protein found in the urine. This causes swelling in the feet, legs, and hands and is a severe risk for the mother and baby and a rare risk cause deaths. The reason why it's called PRE-Eclampsia is because this happens before the baby is born and after the baby is born within the first 24 hours the mother will end up getting Eclampsia and have seizures. Sadly, there is no other way to cure Preeclampsia except to deliver the child which is risky if the baby is not fully developed. The real way OB/GYN doctors are preventing any further damage is regular visits to the doctor and knowing the symptoms as well as a healthy diet.

Along with high blood pressure and protein there are many other symptoms of Preeclampsia which includes, loss of blood flow to the uterus, improper functioning placenta, severe headaches, dizziness, rapid weight gain, sudden change in vision (or floaters), abdominal pain, and organ failure.

Since there has yet to be a true reason or cause for catching Preeclampsia doctors can see trends and certain ties to this unsolved puzzle. Poor nutrition, higher body fat percent, history of high blood pressure, and bad blood flow to the uterus are certain causes that contribute to Preeclampsia. Typically these cases are seen in first time mothers, teen mothers, obese women, pregnant women over the age of 40, previous cases in mother or sister, and possibly genetics. Having a history of Lupus and Rheumatoid arthritis have also been considered as certain medical conditions that could effect Preeclampsia. A study done by the Department of obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Vermont College of Medicine says that a number of reports indicated that Preeclampsia is associated with elevated blood levels of Lipid Peroxidation products. In view of it's destructive characteristics lipid peroxidation might contribute to pathogenesis of preeclampsia.

So to break it down, this stuff can be no joke to not only the mother's body but the babies as well. It can be prevented long enough to have a full term baby, but usually after 32 weeks gestation the blood pressure gets too risky for the doctor's.  Just remember what I said in my second post that there are     76,000 maternal and 500,000 infant deaths each year around the world. What if you had this disease and didn't even know it? What kind of elements could help subside the effects of pre-eclampsia? I'll show you in my next post!

Work Cited:

 "Lipid Peroxidation in Pregnancy: New Perspectives on Preeclampsua." Lipid Peroxidation in Pregnancy: New Perspectives on Preeclampsia. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. <http://ukpmc.ac.uk/abstract/MED/2679100/reload=0;jsessionid=T92JPKDvx0BDc1gbV0Jx.6>.

 "Preeclampsia & Eclampsia: Risk Factors, Signs & Symptoms, and Treatment." WebMD. WebMD, 01 Jan. 0000. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. <http://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/preeclampsia-eclampsia>.

My story on pre-eclampsia.

Before I started this assignment, I wanted to post on why this is important for me and how serious I take my studying on pre-eclampsia. I decided on this disease as my topic for many reasons, even beyond the science of it. When I was pregnant I developed pre-eclampsia and was diagnosed by my OB/GYN at 28 weeks gestation. I suddenly gained 15 pounds, my blood pressure was on the high side, and protein was found in a urine sample I gave that morning. My doctor was concerned but was not 100% on it so he decided to compose a 24 hour urine analysis and advised me to read up on it when I was home. I was horrified at what the disease was calling it a rapidly progressive disease as well as the leading cause of maternal and infant deaths. The worst part that I read on was the only way to "cure" pre-eclampsia is to deliver the baby and nothing else. The rest of my pregnancy I couldn't enjoy it because I was too busy being a lab rat. Going to a doctor twice a week, taking steroid shots to help kick start my child's lung development once a week, getting blood work and urine samples done twice a week, and I was on strict bed rest orders as well as on a strict no salt diet.
    I was tired and broken down, all I could do is hope that all this effort and pain would be worth it. I would deliver early, but I thought at least that my son would be healthy and I at least got to experience the labor and delivery like a normal mother. Within a matter of weeks I was continuing gaining 15-20 pounds a week, I was swollen from head to toe, my blood pressure was through the roof, I had constant headaches, and my vision even changed dramatically. My doctor and I were planning to induce me at 37 weeks, but my blood pressure as well as my doctor was not having that after week 34. I had to be induced and my son was born 6 1/2 weeks early. My son was not breathing on his own and he had to be taken to NICU and hooked up to a breathing machine. I couldn't see him for the first 24 hours because I was being monitored just in case a seizure or Eclampsia happened to me. Seeing my little guy hooked up to wires and IV and a breathing machine made me feel horrible. The NICU doctor said his left lung collapsed during birth, he developed RSV and pneumonia. He had a huge indent in his chest right in the middle from the collapsed lung. My son was in NICU for a little over a month and he motivates me to make sure that I do my best to never get that disease again.
     76,000 maternal and 500,000 infant deaths happen every year because of pre-eclampsia. I hope that doing this blog will not only be just for a project for my class, but hopefully understand the disease a bit better myself. I also want to inform as many people as I can to evaluate their lifestyle before getting pregnant. What my son and I went through for 3 months because of pre-eclampsia was so hard on us and I never wish that kind of events on my worst enemy.

Verification of blog.

This is to verify that I have started my blog and my research on pre-eclampsia disease.

http://www.preeclampsia.org/