PREGNANCY PARENTING HEALTH

6 Things You Need to Know About Pre-eclampsia

8 min read
6 Things You Need to Know About Pre-eclampsia

You’re on your third trimester and your doctor asks you to make it a routine to pee in a cup, which starts to annoy you. But before you lose it, find out why.

I remember my weekly visits to the obstetrician’s office — bladder full of the orange and mango juice I skulled in the car ride over and arm ready to be squeezed purple with that pinching blood-pressure machine. Here, for yet another routine pregnancy check.

Every time I went to see my doctor, he made me pee in a cup, strangled my arm with his blood-pressure band and pressed on my bladder until I let out a little wee on the bed. I found this routine a little annoying, especially because he never mentioned to me why I had to continue to produce urine each week for tests. That was until I found out why.

6 Things You Need to Know About Pre-eclampsia - Stay at Home Mum
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In my 24th week of pregnancy, I developed pre-eclampsia “” a leading cause of death in pregnant women and of premature birth. I was blissfully unaware of the war being waged in my body until the routine doctor’s visit and a blood pressure test turned into a sit down talk about the frightening risks of my condition.

I had relatively few symptoms, and those I did have seemed innocuous compared with my regular bout of nasty pregnancy side-effects. I’m the woman who vomited in a plastic bag on my way to work every day; feeling ill was par for my procreation course.

Luckily, my condition was only mild, although I did have to be monitored continuously throughout the rest of my pregnancy. I was grateful though, for some mothers, pre-eclampsia often means hospital, bed rest and a premature baby.

If you’re concerned about pre-eclampsia, here are some signs, symptoms and treatments to look out for.

Next Page: What is Pre-eclampsia?

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Kate Davies

Senior Journalist & Features Editor. As the modern-day media hunter-gatherer, Journalist Kate Davies is harnessing 10 years in the media to write...Read More engaging and empowering articles for Stay At Home Mum. Her years of experience working in the media both locally and nationally have given her a unique viewpoint and understanding of this dynamic industry. Hailing from a small town in Tasmania and spending many years travelling the world, Kate now calls the Sunshine Coast home alongside her husband and one-year-old son. Read Less

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