Pregnancy & Baby 

Advertisement

Pre-eclampsia: Can it be prevented?

Pre-eclampsia toxaemia (PET) rarely occurs before the 20th week. The signs are a raised blood pressure, protein in the urine which signifies early damage to the kidneys, swelling of the feet, hands, face and ankles, and excessive weight gain. It develops slowly, and if left without treatment, headaches, visual disturbance, mental dullness and, perhaps, fits will develop. The risk to the baby increases as the blood pressure rises. I wish I had some proven preventive measures. Research is being conducted using, in one study, dosages of aspirin each day. The results are mixed, but some subjects have shown a decreased rate of recurrence of pre-eclampsia. Another study has shown that certain food supplements in conjunction with aspirin have also shown some positive benefits. I am just quoting these items in order to show you that there are on-going studies. As yet, there is no definitive answer. You should certainly not take anything without first discussing it at your antenatal clinics. Nothing will take the place of regular, good medical care. Do keep all of the suggested appointments. They are necessary.

The old “rest, diet and fluid” routine is also worth a try. Rest on your left side for 30 minutes several times a day to help renal blood flow. Avoid any constrictive postures or clothing and keep up an exercise routine, perhaps walking 30 minutes a day.

With a history of pre-eclampsia, you have a slightly increased risk of developing this again, but it is primarily a disease of first time mothers. Stay positive and I am sure your doctor will keep a very close eye on you - probably reviewing every two weeks, especially after 24 weeks.

Some experts say not to decrease your salt intake and to really push fluid and protein in the diet. There are lots of theories but, unfortunately, not much hard evidence.

Delicious     Digg     reddit     Facebook     StumbleUpon

You need the newest version of Macromedia Flash Player to view this feature. Download the Flash plug-in at http://www.macromedia.com.

  Get the latest iVillage news on your desktop    Sign up for more iVillage RSS feeds

© iVillage Limited 2000-2008. All rights reserved. | © iVillage inc. 1995-2008. All rights reserved.
iVillage Ltd is a UK company registered in England & Wales (3837269) at 80-110 New Oxford Street, London WC1 1HB