The Facts
Preeclampsia is a condition that some women experience during pregnancy. In cases of preeclampsia, usually in the last four or five months of the pregancy, the blood pressure of the pregnant woman rises rapidly. This condition used to be called toxemia of pregnancy.
Preeclampsia causes an increase in blood pressure along with high levels of protein in the urine and swelling (particularly in the face and hands). This swelling can lead to weight gain outside of the normal weight gain expected during pregnancy. It may also be accompanied by other symptoms such as blurred vision, exaggerated reflexes, and, in some cases, a seizure.
About 5% to 8% of pregnancies in the United States are complicated
by preeclampsia. Of these, 1 in 200
goes on to become full-blown eclampsia, a condition leading to seizures
that can be fatal to both mother and fetus. Preeclampsia and eclampsia remain
leading causes of maternal death in childbirth.
Women who have high blood pressure before pregnancy have a higher risk of miscarriage or giving birth to babies that are premature, underweight, or stillborn. Women who develop high blood pressure while pregnant (about 7% of pregnancies) run a slightly higher risk of these complications, and women with preeclampsia run the highest risk of all.