Eclampsia, sometimes called eclampsia, is characterized by high blood pressure and an excess of protein in the urine after the 20th week of pregnancy.

Eclampsia most often causes moderately elevated values ​​of blood components, but if not treated, it may lead to many complications, and may even cause death to the mother and fetus .

Types of high blood pressure for pregnant women

Eclampsia is defined as one of the four syndromes that cause high blood pressure during pregnancy. The other three are:

1. High gestational blood pressure

Women who suffer from high gestational blood pressure show high blood pressure values, but they suffer from an excess of protein in the urine.

Some women with gestational high blood pressure may eventually develop eclampsia.

2. Chronic hypertension

Chronically high blood pressure is elevated blood pressure values ​​that appear before the 20th week of pregnancy, or may persist for more than 12 weeks after delivery.

In such a case, it is more likely that high blood pressure was present before the pregnancy began but that it was not diagnosed.

3. Eclampsia with chronic high blood pressure

This condition describes women who suffer from chronic high blood pressure not related to pregnancy, and during pregnancy blood pressure values ​​rise more and more dangerously, in addition to the presence of excess protein in the urine.

Symptoms associated with high blood pressure during pregnancy are:

• High  blood pressure .
• Excess protein in the urine (proteinuria) after the 20th week of pregnancy.
• A very severe headache.
• Vision changes including temporary vision loss, blurred vision, or excessive sensitivity to light.
• Abdominal pain is often concentrated in the area below the ribs of the rib cage on the right side.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Vertigo.
• frequent urination.
• Sudden increase in weight, usually more than one kilogram per week.
• Swelling in the face and hands.

Eclampsia is described as poisoning, because the belief that prevailed in the past was that this condition is caused by the presence of a toxin, a toxic substance of biological origin (Toxin) in the blood of a pregnant woman. They’re still trying to figure out the cause of pre-eclampsia.

Causes of high blood pressure during pregnancy

Of  the causes of high blood pressure potential holder include:

• Insufficient blood flow to the uterus.
• Damage to blood vessels.
• Problems with the immune system.
• Improper nutrition.

Risk factors for high blood pressure during pregnancy

Eclampsia appears only during pregnancy, and risk factors for developing it include the following:

• Medical and family history.
• First pregnancy, as the highest risk of preeclampsia is when a woman becomes pregnant for the first time.
• Older age, as the risk of eclampsia increases in women over 35 years old.
• Overweight.
• Multiple pregnancy.
• Pregnancy diabetes.
• Chronic diseases, such as: chronic blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, and lupus .

The majority of women who suffer from eclampsia give birth to completely healthy babies, and the more severe the eclampsia, and the more early it appears in pregnancy, the greater the risk to the mother and the fetus.

Complications associated with high blood pressure during pregnancy:

• Decreased blood flow to the placenta.
• Separation of the placenta  early (Abruptio placentae) , which causes severe bleeding and is a danger to the mother and the fetus.
• Hemolysis syndrome.
• Malignant eclampsia.

Preeclampsia is diagnosed if a pregnant woman has high blood pressure accompanied by proteinuria that appears on urine tests.

Eclampsia appears unexpectedly during a routine pregnancy test, such as:

• Blood pressure measurement.
•  Regular urine tests .

The results of blood pressure measurements

Here are the interpretations of blood pressure results:

• If your blood pressure during pregnancy is less than 130/85 mmHg, it is considered normal.
• If your blood pressure is higher than 140/90 mmHg, it is considered high.

Despite this, the measurement of blood pressure that shows high blood pressure once does not mean eclampsia, if the measurement of blood pressure shows a rise in its value once, the attending physician will follow up and permanently monitor blood pressure in the subsequent period.

The doctor may ask the pregnant woman to come to the clinic to measure blood pressure at a higher rate than usual, in addition to continuous monitoring of protein values ​​in the urine.

If the diagnosis of eclampsia is confirmed, then the treating gynecologist will recommend a number of additional tests, such as:

• Examination of the performance of the liver and kidneys.
• Examination of the amount  of platelets  (Platelet test).
• Ultrasound imaging.
• Fetal pressure examination, which is a simple process in which the movements of the fetus are monitored for a specific period of time and the extent of the fetal heart rate increases as a result of its movements.
• Examination  of amniotic fluid  in the uterus.

Treatment of high blood pressure for pregnant women varies depending on the situation of the pregnant woman.

1. Treatment of high blood pressure in the early stages of pregnancy

If a pregnant woman is in the early stages of pregnancy, childbirth is not the best solution for the fetus, and the woman must adhere to the following:

• Commitment to bed for rest : Provide sufficient time for the fetus to complete its growth and development.
• Drug therapy : to help the pregnant woman and the fetus.
• Obstetrics : The best and last resort for eclampsia.

2. Treatment of high blood pressure for pregnant women in the last stages of pregnancy

The treatment of blood pressure for the only pregnant woman is  childbirth,  especially if the pregnant woman is at risk of  seizures , early placental abruption, or severe bleeding to the point of a severe drop in blood pressure.

The exact cause of pre-eclampsia is still not fully known, and reducing  salt intake , or changing the program of activities during pregnancy does not necessarily reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure in a pregnant woman.

The best ways to protect a pregnant woman and her fetus are:

• Ensure that all necessary and required examinations are conducted regularly and in the early stages of pregnancy as possible
• Cooperate with the doctor to prevent complications and research the optimal steps to be taken to protect the pregnant woman and the fetus, if eclampsia is detected early in pregnancy.

There is no evidence for the use of any herbal alternative remedies to treat high blood pressure in pregnant women, as herbs may harm the fetus, so you should follow the doctor’s instructions and use only the medicines that have been prescribed.