- Main symptoms
- Possible complications
- What are the causes
- Postpartum eclampsia
- Treatment of eclampsia
Eclampsia is a serious complication in pregnancy, characterized by repeated episodes of seizures, followed by a coma, and which can be fatal if not treated immediately. This disease is more common in the last 3 months of pregnancy, however, it can manifest itself in any period after the 20th week of pregnancy, during childbirth or even after delivery.
Eclampsia is a serious manifestation of pre-eclampsia, a disease of the blood circulation that causes high blood pressure, exceeding 140 x 90 mmHg, presence of proteins in the urine and swelling of the body due to fluid retention, but, although these diseases are related, not all women with pre-eclampsia progress from disease to eclampsia. Find out how to identify preeclampsia and when it can become severe.
Main symptoms
Symptoms of eclampsia include:
- Convulsions; Severe headache; Hypertension; Rapid weight gain due to fluid retention; Swelling of the hands and feet; Loss of protein in the urine; Ringing in the ears; Severe belly pain; Vomiting; Vision changes.
Seizures in eclampsia are usually generalized and last for about 1 minute and may progress to coma.
Possible complications
Eclampsia can cause some complications, especially when not treated quickly as soon as it is identified. One of the main complications is the HELLP syndrome, which is characterized by a serious alteration of blood circulation, in which there is destruction of red blood cells, decreased platelets and damage to liver cells, causing an increase in liver enzymes and bilirubins in the blood test. Learn more about what it is and how to treat HELLP syndrome.
Other possible complications are decreased blood flow to the brain, causing neurological damage, as well as fluid retention in the lungs, breathing difficulties and kidney or liver failure.
In addition, babies can also be affected, with impairment in their development or the need to anticipate delivery. In some cases, the baby may not be fully developed, and there may be problems, such as breathing difficulties, requiring monitoring by the neonatologist and, in some cases, admission to the ICU to ensure better care.
What are the causes
The causes of eclampsia are related to the implantation and development of blood vessels in the placenta, as the lack of blood supply to the placenta causes it to produce substances that, when they fall into the circulation, will change blood pressure and cause kidney damage.
Risk factors for developing eclampsia can be:
- Pregnancy in women over 40 or under 18; Family history of eclampsia; Pregnancy of twins; Women with hypertension; Obesity; Diabetes; Chronic kidney disease; Pregnant women with autoimmune diseases, such as lupus.
The way to prevent eclampsia is to control blood pressure during pregnancy and do the necessary prenatal tests to detect any changes indicative of this disease as early as possible.
Postpartum eclampsia
Eclampsia can also occur after the baby is born, especially in women who had pre-eclampsia during pregnancy, so they should be closely evaluated, so that any signs of clinical worsening in the first days after delivery can be identified, only and should be discharged after normalization of pressure and improvement of symptoms. Find out what the main symptoms are and how postpartum eclampsia happens.
Treatment of eclampsia
The treatment of eclampsia consists of the administration of magnesium sulfate in an infusion pump to control seizures and coma. In the most severe cases, where there is an increased risk of death, it may be necessary to terminate the pregnancy and induce labor, as the cure for eclampsia is only achieved with the baby and the placenta leaving the woman's uterus. Find out more details on eclampsia treatment.
