what is Preeclampsia/eclampsia?

Question

what specifically is it?

Answer 1

Preeclampsia is a disorder that occurs only during pregnancy and the postpartum period and affects both the mother and the unborn baby. Affecting at least 5-8% of all pregnancies, it is a rapidly progressive condition characterized by high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine. Swelling, sudden weight gain, headaches and changes in vision are important symptoms; however, some women with rapidly advancing disease report few symptoms.

Typically, preeclampsia occurs after 20 weeks gestation (in the late 2nd or 3rd trimesters or middle to late pregnancy), though it can occur earlier. Proper prenatal care is essential to diagnose and manage preeclampsia. Preeclampsia, Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH) and toxemia are closely related conditions. HELLP Syndrome and eclampsia are other manifestations of the same syndrome. It is important to note that research shows that more women die from preeclampsia than eclampsia and one is not necessarily more serious than the other.

Answer 2

Eclampsia is:
an attack of convulsions during pregnancy or parturition

Pre- eclampsia is the stage before this happens. I was diagnosed with severe pre-e and hospitalized after delivery of my son. I was put on may I.V. medications to prevent Eclampsia. You do not have to have all symtoms for this to be present. When there is protein in your urine it means that this condition has already started taking an effect on your kidneys and is letting protein through that shouldnt be. in my case my kidneys were not working right, my liver was inflamed, I had swelling on the brain! I had high b/p I didnt show tons of protein in my urine until right before I was hospitalized. My face was swollen, My entire body was swollen. people say eat less salt and drink more water however salt does not do anything with pre-e the retention is completely different and do not cut salt completely out of your diet this has SEVERE side effects also. I drank TONS of water and I lost 20 lbs in 24 hours once I was put on I.V.s and things started clearing up. I retained that TON of water they made me drink and man did i have a lot. I seen spots at times, became dulisional, many of the above symptoms are listed. If concerned do research there are MANY sites out there. I can however tell you that since I have long term effects I have done much research and relized that no one knows much about this. I was told there was no long term effects on my child or myself however I now have high bp , permanent edima, and I was tested many times and told that I suffered short term memory loss and what I didnt have back in 3 years I would probably never have back well guess what .... I didnt regain much! Early diagnosis is KEY
http://www.preeclampsia.org/FAQ.asp

Answer 3

Pre-eclampsia (previously called toxemia) is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. It is said to exist when a pregnant woman with gestational hypertension develops proteinuria. Originally, edema was considered part of the syndrome of pre-eclampsia, but presently the former two symptoms are sufficient for a diagnosis of pre-eclampsia.

Eclampsia is a serious complication of pregnancy and is characterised by convulsions. Usually eclampsia occurs after the onset of pre-eclampsia though sometimes no pre-eclamptic symptoms are recognisable.The convulsions may appear before, during or after labour, though cases of eclampsia after just 20 weeks of pregnancy have been recorded.

Answer 4

Eclampsia is the same condition as pre-eclampsia that has stepped forward a procedures sufficient to have seizures. Seizures is the version. that is a disease of later being pregnant than some thing that motives atypical implantation (ectopic being pregnant) and is not appropriate in any respect to both condition said. that is maximum elementary in first pregnancies (or first pregnancies with the help of a clean father). it isn't completely understood, yet pre-eclampsia should be monitored heavily. the basically actual remedy is shipping.

Answer 5

What is preeclampsia?
Preeclampsia, also known as toxemia, is a complex disorder that affects about 5 to 8 percent of pregnant women. You're diagnosed with preeclampsia if you have high blood pressure and protein in your urine after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The condition most commonly shows up after you've reached 37 weeks, but it can develop any time in the second half of pregnancy, as well as during labor or even after delivery (usually in the first 24 to 48 hours). It's also possible to get preeclampsia before 20 weeks, but only in rare cases, such as with a molar pregnancy. Preeclampsia can range from mild to severe, and it can progress slowly or rapidly. The only way to get better is to deliver your baby.

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How can preeclampsia affect my health and my baby's?
The more severe your preeclampsia and the earlier it occurs in your pregnancy, the greater the risks for both you and your baby. Most women who get preeclampsia develop a mild version near their due date and they and their babies do fine with proper care. But when preeclampsia is severe, it can affect many organs and cause serious or even life-threatening problems. That's why you'll need to deliver early if your condition is severe or getting worse.

Preeclampsia causes your blood vessels to constrict, resulting in high blood pressure and a decrease in blood flow that can affect many organs in your body, such as your liver, kidneys, and brain. When less blood flows to your uterus, it can mean problems for your baby, such as poor growth, decreased amniotic fluid, and placental abruption — when the placenta separates from the uterine wall before delivery. In addition, your baby may suffer the effects of prematurity if you need to deliver early to protect your health.

Changes in your blood vessels caused by preeclampsia may cause your capillaries to "leak" fluid into your tissues, which results in swelling (known as edema). And when the tiny blood vessels in your kidneys leak, protein from your bloodstream spills into your urine. (It's normal to have a tiny amount of protein in your urine but more than a little bit can signal a problem.)

In rare cases, preeclampsia can lead to seizures, a condition called eclampsia. In fact, "pre-eclampsia" was so named because it was first identified as the condition that leads to these seizures. All women with severe preeclampsia are given magnesium sulfate, an anti-seizure medication. That's because the seizures can be hard to predict — though they're often preceded by symptoms such as severe or persistent headache, blurred vision or seeing spots, or intense upper abdominal pain).

Answer 6

others explained them well they are actually the same thing it is called pre-eclam when it happens before giving birth and eclam after birth. The high blood pressure can cause seizures, which in both cases can cause brain damage in mom, but what makes pre=eclam more dangerous is if you have a seizure while pregnant you can have a placenta abruption and both you and the baby can bleed to death.

Answer 7

Happens in pregnancy. Causes the blood pressure to rise, sometimes to dangerous levels, that can lead to death if untreated. Good prenatal care is the key. Causes are not understood yet.