Preeclampsia And Your Heart During Pregnancy

 
OBGYN near Acworth GA

February is set aside by the American Heart Association as American Heart Month. The month is used to raise awareness about heart disease and how people can prevent it in their home and community. Preeclampsia is a disorder related to your heart. It is is a high-blood pressure disorder unique to pregnant women. According to the American Heart Association’s journal Stroke, urinary tract infections, chronic high blood pressure and bleeding or clotting disorders may increase the risk of pregnancy-associated stroke in women with preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia affects 3 to 8 percent of all pregnancies. However, strokes related to pregnancy remain rare. While preeclampsia is a very common pregnancy disorder, many individuals aren’t aware of its association with strokes.

Common symptoms of preeclampsia may include:

  • High blood pressure
  • Protein in your urine
  • It is often precluded by gestational hypertension.
  • Swelling in your feet, legs and hands
  • It usually appears during the second half of your pregnancy.
  • Headaches
  • Spots before your eyes
  • Elevated liver enzymes
  • Sudden weight gain
  • Eclamptic seizures (in severe cases)

Women at risk of preeclampsia include:

  • First-time moms
  • Women with sisters or mothers with preeclampsia
  • Women who are pregnant with multiple babies
  • Women who suffered from high blood pressure or kidney disease before getting pregnant
  • Obese women
  • Women with a BMI of 30 or greater
  • Women who have had gestational hypertension or preeclampsia in the past

If you are wondering if you’re at risk for preeclampsia or if you have it, contact our expert doctors at Marietta OB-GYN Affiliates, P.A. to provide you with the individualized care you need to protect your health and the health of your unborn child.

Posted on behalf of Dr. Carlos Alarcon, Marietta OB-GYN Affiliates, P.A.