Friday 2 February 2018

Preeclampsia: Queries answered by Dr. Shobha Gupta, IVF Expert from Mother’s Lap IVF Centre


Q.1 How common is preeclampsia in Indian women?

Ans. Pre-eclampsia is common in Indian women, affecting between two to eight in 100 women during pregnancy. Around one in 200 women (0.5%) develop severe pre-eclampsia during pregnancy. Stress of metro cities is the major cause.

Q.2 Is the percentage on a rise due to changes in lifestyle?
Ans. Preeclampsia is on rise these days, yes lifestyle as we'll as late pregnancies responsible for this.

Q.3 What are the causes of the increase, if any?
Ans. Mainly lifestyle plays a very important role in it. Obesity, stressed life, diabetes, late age of conception, previous history, family history of hypertension responsible for this. Sudden weight gain, pedal swelling, headache, vomiting,
decrease urine output are also the additional factors.

Q.4 If the due date is not very close and a woman is diagnosed with preeclampsia then how is this condition treated?
Ans.  Patient started on anti hypertensive and very vigilantly monitored, warning signs are being mentioned to her and sometimes hospitalized also.

Q.5 What are the symptoms of preeclampsia?
Ans.  Sudden obesity, sudden fluctuations in your sugar and bp level, headache, vomiting, decrease in urine output, blurry vision and hypertension.

Q.6 You could be affected with the medical condition if?
Ans.  If diagnosed with obesity, hypertension, diabetes, stress etc.

Q.7 Any tips/regular check ups recommended to keep this condition away?
Ans. Decrease salt intake and improve lifestyle.

Q.8 What woiuld be the treatment for it?
Ans. There is no way to treat the illness as per say. Delivering the baby is usually the only cure. Usually this condition automatically gets treated in 10 days after the delivery. In some cases the condition is known to take six months post delivery. The fact that there is no way to cure pre-eclampsia makes this a rather scary condition. However regular pre-natal check ups can help diagnose pre-eclampsia early and help manage it easier.