What is preeclampsia? How does it affect pregnancy?

A condition in pregnancy characterized by high blood pressure, sometimes with fluid retention and proteinuria are known as preeclampsia. In pregnant women having normal BP, preeclampsia mostly begins after 20 weeks of pregnancy which may lead to serious, even fatal, complications for both mom and baby. Using Healtheoz HMOM app, we can make a track of our diet & exercise so as to avoid any such complication in pregnancy & to make our 9 months journey smooth & stress-free.

The main known symptoms are high blood pressure and protein in the urine followed by swelling in the legs and water retention which is difficult to distinguish from a normal pregnancy.

Preeclampsia is mostly during a routine BP & urine test. In similar cases, if the baby is considered “term” (on or after 37 weeks) and the growth rate is normal, the baby is delivered, and the mother monitored and sent home as usual.

The impact of preeclampsia is intense if it occurs earlier in the pregnancy, or in a woman with high blood pressure before pregnancy. Care providers may suggest time off work, bed rest, medication and even hospitalization to keep the BP in control. Keeping the baby in the uterus as long as possible, assuming continuous growth, is preferred for the long-term health of the baby.

The only "cure" of this disease begins with the delivery of the baby and placenta, which is sometimes recommended before the pregnancy goes to term in the best interest of the mother. Doctors may prescribe anti-hypertensive medications. If the blood pressure o the mother cannot be managed with medication and treatment, and the mother's and/or baby’s health is at risk, steroids are given to aid the maturation of the infant's lungs prior to delivering the baby.

Preeclampsia can often be managed with oral or IV medication until the baby is sufficiently mature to be delivered.

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What is the cause of diabetes and high blood pressure during pregnancy?

Diabetes is a condition in which the sugar in your blood is more than what is normal. If you didn’t have diabetes before conceiving and developed it during your pregnancy due to various hormonal changes during your gestation, it is called gestational diabetics or gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). If your testing confirms gestational diabetes, our first approach is conservative. Nutritional adjustments and adding a comfortable exercise regimen like daily walking may be all that some women require. Home monitoring of your blood sugar with a glucose monitor is also often provided. If necessary, medication is recommended. The food you consume passes through your digestive system and undergoes many processes and reactions and gets broken down into glucose, which is a type of sugar.

This glucose that enters your blood is converted into energy with the help of a hormone called Insulin. The cells in our body use this energy to function. The normal blood sugar ranges will be- Fasting- 70-100mg/dl 1 hour after meals- less than 140mg/dl When you are pregnant, due to various hormonal changes, the production of insulin by the pancreas is disturbed. For some pregnant ladies insulin produced is not sufficient enough to turn the glucose into energy. The unused glucose builds up resulting in high sugar levels in the blood. A high sugar level in blood is nothing but diabetes. Usually, gestational diabetes doesn’t show any symptoms. But sometimes you may feel thirstier, your trips to pee may increase, your mouth may be dry and you may get infections like thrush more often.

Sometimes blurred vision too. But often such physical changes like more wee and thirst are common when you are pregnant and so it is difficult to find out if you have diabetes just by looking at the symptoms. If you have high blood pressure your chance of getting diabetes during pregnancy is high. If you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes, don’t worry much because the majority of ladies deliver healthy babies and have normal gestation if the diabetes is controlled with dietary changes and medications as per your doctor’s advice. But if not treated properly some problems (doctors will tell you) can occur to your pregnancy/delivery and your baby.

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Can an obese woman have a healthy pregnancy?

Being overweight or obese during pregnancy can cause problems for the baby. It gives rises to plenty of complications and it becomes more dangerous when you try to lose weight during pregnancy.

If you’re overweight or obese during pregnancy, you’re more likely to have these complications:

1. High blood pressure, preeclampsia and blood clotting: If you have high blood pressure your chance of getting diabetes during pregnancy is high
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2.Gestational diabetes: If you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes, don’t worry much because the majority of ladies deliver healthy babies and have normal gestation if the diabetes is controlled with dietary changes and medications as per your doctor’s advice.
But if not treated properly some problems (doctors will tell you) can occur to your pregnancy/delivery and your baby.

3. Cesarean birth (also called c-section). This is surgery in which your baby is born through a cut that your doctor makes in your belly and uterus (womb).

If you’re obese, you’re more likely to have complications from a c-section, like an infection or losing too much blood. During pregnancy, do these things to help keep you and your baby healthy:

1. Get early and regular prenatal care. Prenatal care is the medical care you get during pregnancy. Go to every prenatal care checkup, even if you’re feeling fine. Your provider gives you prenatal tests, like a glucose screening test for diabetes and ultrasound to get a picture of your baby in the womb.

2. Talk to your provider about how much weight to gain during pregnancy. If you’re overweight, you want to gain about 15 to 25 pounds during pregnancy. If you’re obese, your target range is 11 to 20 pounds.

3. Eat healthy foods. Talk to your provider or a nutritionist to help you plan your meals. Check out choosemyplate.gov from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It can help you make a healthy eating plan based on your age, weight, height and physical activity. It also has a special section just for pregnant women.

4. Don’t diet. Some diets can reduce the nutrients your baby needs to grow and develop. Don’t try to stay at the same weight or lose weight during pregnancy.


5. Do something active every day. Talk to your provider about activities that are safe for you.

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