Preeclampsia
Seek
medical care if:
- you have any question about either your health or your baby's health
- you have a severe or persistent
headache or any visual disturbance (such as double vision or seeing spots)
- you have severe pain in the middle of your belly or on the right side of your belly under your ribs
- you notice any unusual bruising or bleeding
- you notice excessive swelling or weight gain
- your baby has slowed down its movements
- you have any
vaginal bleeding or cramping
Self-Care at Home
Try to get help with your household chores and assistance watching your other children if you are sent home on bed rest. This is a time to be a woman of leisure!
Follow-up
Just as there were no tests to predict or prevent preeclampsia, there are no tests to predict whether preeclampsia will recur in a subsequent pregnancy . Unfortunately, in a small number of women, preeclampsia will recur. This chance seems to increase if preeclampsia was particularly severe or occurred very early in
pregnancy (late second trimester or early third trimester). Although, there are no tests to predict this occurring, you should be monitored more closely during a subsequent pregnancy.
Although experience is limited in the use of birth control pills by women who have had preeclampsia, the evidence suggests that birth control pills are a safe and valuable means of birth control.
Outlook
Most women will have good outcomes for their pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia. Some women will continue to have problems with their
blood pressure and will need to be monitored closely after delivery.
Most babies do well. Babies born prematurely usually stay in the hospital longer. A rule of thumb is to expect the baby to stay in the hospital until his or her due date.
Unfortunately, a few women and babies experience life-threatening complications from preeclampsia.