The only way to cure preeclampsia is to deliver the baby. However, if that delivery would be very early (premature), the disease can be managed by bed rest, close monitoring, and delivery as soon as the fetus has a good chance of surviving outside the womb. Sometimes, medicines are prescribed to lower the mother's blood pressure.
The pregnant mother is usually admitted to the hospital, but some women may be allowed to stay at home with careful monitoring of their blood pressure, urine, and weight, and the baby.
Ideally, the condition is managed until the baby can be delivered after the 37th week of pregnancy.
Labor may be induced if any of the following occur:
Abdominal pain
Abnormal biophysical profile (a test to monitor the health of the fetus)
Abnormal liver function tests
Diastolic blood pressure greater than 100 mmHg consistently for a 24-hour period, or any confirmed reading over 110 mmHg
Rh incompatibility (4 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Rh incompatibility is a condition that develops when a pregnant woman has Rh-negative blood and the baby in her womb has Rh-positive blood.During pregnancy, red blood cells from the fetus can get into the mother''s bloodstream as she nourishes her ...Reviewer: Deirdre O?Reilly, MD, MPH, Neonatologist, Division of Newborn Medicine, Children?s Hospital Boston and Instructor in Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Review Provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 10/15/2007
Premature infant(Doctor-Reviewed information)
A premature infant is a baby born before 37 weeks gestation.At birth, a baby is classified as one of the following:.Premature(less than 37 weeks gestation) Full term(37 to 42 weeks gestation) Post term(born after 42 weeks gestation).If a woman goe...Reviewer: Deirdre O?Reilly, MD, MPH, Neonatologist, Division of Newborn Medicine, Children?s Hospital Boston and Instructor in Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Review Provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 10/11/2007
Placenta previa (9 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Placenta previa is a complication of pregnancy in which the placenta grows in the lowest part of the womb(uterus) and covers all or part of the opening to the cervix.The placenta is the organ that nourishes the developing fetus.During pregnancy, t...Reviewer: Linda Vorvick, MD, Seattle Site Coordinator, Lecturer, Pathophysiology, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Susan Storck, MD, FACOG, Chief, Eastside Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, Redmond, Washington; Clinical Teaching Faculty, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 10/28/2008
Placenta abruptio (10 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Placenta abruptio is separation of the placenta(the organ that nourishes the fetus) from the site of uterine implantation before delivery of the fetus.Premature separation of placenta; Ablatio placentae; Abruptio placentae; Placental abruption.The...Reviewer: Linda Vorvick, MD, Seattle Site Coordinator, Lecturer, Pathophysiology, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Susan Storck, MD, FACOG, Chief, Eastside Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, Redmond, Washington; Clinical Teaching Faculty, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 10/28/2008
Postpartum depression(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Postpartum depression is moderate to severe depression in a woman after she has given birth. It may occur soon after delivery or up to a year later. Reviewer: Timothy A. Rogge, MD, private practice in Psychiatry, Kirkland, Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 08/24/2008
Breastfeeding (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Breastfeeding is giving human breast milk to infants to meet their nutritional needs.Reviewer: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. Date: 11/30/2008
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