Making the Diagnosis
We don't know what causes preeclampsia, so we define it by its symptoms. If a pregnant woman's blood pressure is over a certain level (140/90 mm Hg) and she has one or two other symptoms (such as protein in the urine or swelling), she has mild preeclampsia. If the blood pressure goes higher still (more than 150/110 mm Hg), and other symptoms appear (such as eye problems or abdominal pain), she has severe preeclampsia. If she has a seizure, then it is eclampsia.