- Symptoms of HELLP Syndrome
- Who had HELLP Syndrome can get pregnant again?
- Diagnosis of HELLP Syndrome
- How is the treatment
HELLP syndrome is a situation that occurs in pregnancy and is characterized by hemolysis, which corresponds to the destruction of red blood cells, alteration of liver enzymes and a decrease in the amount of platelets, which can put both the mother and the baby at risk.
This syndrome is usually related to severe pre-eclampsia or eclampsia, which can make diagnosis difficult and delay the start of treatment.
It is important that HELLP syndrome is identified and treated as soon as possible to avoid complications such as kidney failure, liver problems, acute lung edema or death of the pregnant woman or baby, for example.
The HELLP syndrome is curable if identified and treated quickly according to the obstetrician's recommendation, and it may be necessary, in more severe cases in which the woman's life is at risk, to terminate the pregnancy.
Symptoms of HELLP Syndrome
The symptoms of HELLP Syndrome are varied and usually appear between the 28th and 36th weeks of pregnancy, although they may also appear in the second trimester of pregnancy or, even in the postpartum period, being the main ones:
- Pain near the mouth of the stomach; Headache; Vision changes; High blood pressure; General malaise; Nausea and vomiting; Presence of protein in the urine; Jaundice, in which the skin and eyes become more yellow.
A pregnant woman who shows signs and symptoms of HELLP Syndrome should immediately consult the obstetrician or go to the emergency room, especially if she suffers from pre-eclampsia, diabetes, lupus or heart or kidney problems.
Who had HELLP Syndrome can get pregnant again?
If the woman has had HELLP Syndrome and the treatment has been done correctly, pregnancy can happen normally, not least because the recurrence rate of this syndrome is quite low.
Although she has less chance of developing the syndrome again, it is important that the pregnant woman is closely monitored by the obstetrician to avoid having changes during pregnancy.
Diagnosis of HELLP Syndrome
The diagnosis of HELLP Syndrome is made by the obstetrician based on the symptoms presented by the pregnant woman and the result of laboratory tests, such as blood count, in which the characteristics of the red blood cells, shape and quantity are checked, in addition to checking the amount of platelets. Learn how to understand the blood count.
In addition, the doctor recommends performing tests that assess liver enzymes, which are also altered in HELLP syndrome, such as LDH, bilirubin, TGO and TGP, for example. See which tests assess the liver.
How is the treatment
The treatment for HELLP Syndrome is done with the woman admitted to the Intensive Care Unit so that the obstetrician can constantly assess the evolution of the pregnancy and indicate the best time and route of delivery, if this is possible.
The treatment for HELLP Syndrome depends on the woman's gestational age, and it is common that after 34 weeks, childbirth is induced early to avoid the woman's death and the baby's suffering, which is immediately referred to the Therapy Unit Neonatal intensive care unit to avoid complications.
When the pregnant woman is less than 34 weeks old, steroids can be injected into the muscle, such as betamethasone, to develop the baby's lungs so that the delivery can be advanced. However, when the pregnant woman is less than 24 weeks pregnant, this type of treatment may not be effective, and it is necessary to interrupt the pregnancy. Understand more about the treatment for HELLP Syndrome.
