Pregnancy, Preeclampsia and Prematurity

The husband and I were ecstatic when we found out we were pregnant with our only child (for now) Elise. The first three months were a breeze. I was blessed that I didn't experience the usual morning sickness, weird cravings or dizzy spells. And what mood swings? I was giddy and happy all the time.

Early Signs

It wasn't until the end of my third month when everybody were noticing how swollen my feet always were. I brushed it aside thinking that it's just the salty food that I stubbornly ate despite the doctor's warnings. It was also during these times when I started feeling week and tired, but again, abandoned the idea that something was wrong.

On the 5th month, my OB was alarmed when she noticed the increase in my blood pressure and put me on medication immediately. She gave strict orders to check my BP every morning and to call her up immediately if it still rises. She told me I have gestational hypertension or pregnancy induced hypertension.

Houston, We Have a Problem

After that, everything was fine until a month had passed. The swelling worsened. I couldn't see my ankles and the skin on my feet hurt so much from the stretching, they looked like an elephant's feet. I ballooned and gained 30 lbs in less than 2 months. I was sleepy and fatigued all the time and my blood pressure rose to 140/100 even after medication. My OB increased the intake to twice a day.

A week has passed and it became thrice a day, then the next week to four times a day. But still, the stubborn BP just won't budge. I was then ordered to stop working. Besides, my productivity at work was already affected, I just find myself dozing off most of the time. So it was strictly bed rest (and house arrest) for me while other preggers were advised to exercise more or go to the mall to walk.

On the 34th week my BP rose to an alarming 150/110. My doctor ordered me to see her immediately for checkup. So I went and little did I know that I wasn't going home that night.

Mayday! Mayday!

Two days later, I was still in the hospital and was on strict bed rest. Before midnight, 6 weeks before my due date, my BP rose to 180/120, I was vomiting and the world was spinning around me like crazy. Before I knew it, I was wheeled into the delivery room for an emergency CS. By this time, my condition advanced to severe pre-eclampsia.

Elise came out only 3.2 lbs heavy and 15 inches long, the size of a 32 week-old fetus. My high BP caused my blood vessels to constrict therefore reducing the passage of blood which carried much-needed nutrients to my baby. She didn't have the sucking reflex and a few days later, got infected with sepsis (a kind of blood infection) because her immune system wasn't well developed yet. She had to stay in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for 30 days before we can take her home. I was in the hospital for 6 days, my cardiologist and OB only gave us the go signal to pack up when my BP lowered to 120/80.

Needless to say, ours was a very scary and life-threatening delivery. And we were traumatized beyond our wildest imagination.

Enlighten Me, Please

Pre-eclampsia is diagnosed when a pregnant woman develops high blood pressure (two separate readings taken at least 6 hours apart of 140/90 or more) and 300 mg of protein in a 24-hour urine sample (proteinuria). This rapidly progressive condition occurs in 5-8% of pregnancies, usually in the second or third trimester, and after the 32nd week.

Some women will experience pre-eclampsia as early as 20 weeks, though this is rare. Swelling, sudden weight gain, headaches and changes in vision are important symptoms; however, some women with rapidly advancing disease report few symptoms. Preeclampsia can range from mild to severe, and it can progress slowly or rapidly. The only way to get better is to deliver the baby (*gasp!*).

If you're diagnosed with preeclampsia earlier in your pregnancy, you and your doctor face the delicate task of prolonging your pregnancy to allow your baby more time to mature, without putting you or your baby at risk of serious complications. Researchers have learned a lot about pre-eclampsia in the last decade, but many aspects of the condition remain a mystery. Although maternal mortality is low with a recorded 2.3% in the US, it may lead to serious complications including respiratory distress syndrome, low birth weight, eclampsia, placental abruption and HELLP — which stands for hemolysis (the destruction of red blood cells), elevated liver enzymes and low platelet count —a syndrome which can rapidly become life-threatening for both mother and baby.

Knowing is Half the Battle

But not to fret, there are ways to detect high-risk pregnancies in its early stages. I was just too stubborn too take note of all the signs. The fatigue, the sudden weight gain (more than 2 lbs/week), the early signs of edema (should only start by the end of the 6th month) and the high blood pressure. And it was only after I gave birth when my mom told me she too was diagnosed when she was pregnant with my youngest brother.

It is common for first time pregnancies, pregnancies with 2 or more fetuses, obese women and women aged below 35 years old. You are also at high risk when you have the following conditions before pregnancy: chronic hypertension, have certain blood clotting disorders, diabetes, lupus, kidney diseases and other auto immune sicknesses. It will be tons of help if you do a bit of research, read up on the references I've posted and try find out if you have close relatives who were pre-eclamptic.

More than the Usual

Taking care of yourself and being extra observant during pregnancy will go a long way. Aside from the monthly prenatal checkups, daily monitoring of blood pressure and fetal kick counts should be done. Eat right, check out the sodium content of all the food you eat. High sodium intake can increase the risk of hypertension during pregnancy although it is still not proven to prevent it. So say bye, bye to canned and processed food, bagoong, fish and soy sauce, fried food, cheese (yes, cheese!!), ketchup, chips and soda for the meantime. And better snack on vegetables and fruits.

If you were ordered bed rest, please do so. Yes, worrying and waiting may be hard for busy-bodies (like me). But remember, it will buy you more time for your baby to grow, especially when you develop this condition in the early stages. Take up a hobby like knitting, reading or scrap booking, activities that are not strenuous.

Most women diagnosed with gestational hypertension get their normal BP back 6 weeks after giving birth. I was unlucky, my heart suffered a bit of damage and I'm now diagnosed with chronic hypertension. Nevertheless, I'm just glad that after all these, so far, there are no visible signs of prematurity on Elise. By God's grace, we have a bubbly and cheerful toddler and we continue to pray that she'll continue to grow to a beautiful, healthy and happy individual.

References: Wikipedia, Preeclampsia.org, Baby Center, Mayo Clinic

‹ previous

359 of 653

next ›