- Main symptoms of postpartum eclampsia
- How postpartum eclampsia happens
- How to treat postpartum eclampsia
- Does postpartum eclampsia leave sequelae?
Postpartum eclampsia is a rare condition that can occur within the first 48 hours after delivery. It is common in women who have been diagnosed with pre-eclampsia during pregnancy, but it can also appear in women who have characteristics that favor this disease, such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes and over 40 and under 18.
Eclampsia, a disease in which women have high blood pressure and may have seizure episodes, which can progress to coma and be fatal, can appear after 20 weeks of gestation, at delivery or postpartum. A woman diagnosed with eclampsia at any time during pregnancy or after pregnancy should remain hospitalized until signs of improvement are seen.
In general, treatment is carried out with medications, especially with magnesium sulfate, which reduces seizures and prevents coma.
Main symptoms of postpartum eclampsia
Postpartum eclampsia is usually the severe manifestation of preeclampsia. The main symptoms of postpartum eclampsia are:
- Fainting; Headache; Abdominal pain; Blurred vision; Convulsions; High blood pressure; Weight gain; Swelling of the hands and feet; Presence of proteins in the urine; Ringing in the ears; Vomiting.
Preeclampsia is a condition that can arise during pregnancy and is characterized by high blood pressure in pregnancy, greater than 140 x 90 mmHg, presence of protein in the urine and swelling due to fluid retention. If pre-eclampsia is not treated correctly, it can progress to the most serious condition, which is eclampsia. Learn more about pre-eclampsia.
How postpartum eclampsia happens
The main factors that favor the onset of postpartum eclampsia are:
- Obesity; Diabetes; Hypertension; Poor diet or malnutrition; Pregnancy of twins; First pregnancy; Cases of eclampsia or pre-eclampsia in the family; Age over 40 years and less than 18 years; Chronic kidney disease; Autoimmune diseases, like lupus.
All of these causes can be avoided, thus reducing the chances of postpartum eclampsia, with healthy lifestyle habits and appropriate treatment.
How to treat postpartum eclampsia
The treatment for postpartum eclampsia aims to treat the symptoms, so it is recommended to use magnesium sulfate, which controls seizures and prevents coma, antihypertensives, to lower blood pressure, and sometimes aspirin for pain relief, always with medical advice.
In addition, it is important to pay attention to the diet, avoiding the maximum amount of salt and fatty foods, so that the pressure does not increase again, you should drink plenty of water and rest according to the doctor's recommendation. See more about the treatment of eclampsia.
Does postpartum eclampsia leave sequelae?
Usually, when eclampsia is identified immediately and treatment is started immediately thereafter, there are no sequelae. But, if the treatment is not adequate, the woman may have repeated episodes of seizure, which can last for about a minute, permanent damage to vital organs, such as the liver, kidneys and brain, and can progress to coma, which can be fatal for women.
Postpartum eclampsia does not endanger the baby, only the mother. The baby is at risk when, during pregnancy, the woman is diagnosed with eclampsia or pre-eclampsia, with immediate delivery being the best form of treatment and prevention of further complications, such as HELLP syndrome, for example. In this syndrome there may be problems with the liver, kidneys or water accumulation in the lung. Find out what it is, the main symptoms and how to treat HELLP Syndrome.
