Preeclampsia Warning Signs: A Beginner-Friendly Start
Preeclampsia Warning Signs: the few things that matter most, and the mistakes that catch people out early.
A serious blood pressure disorder of pregnancy and the weeks after birth that can affect the kidneys, liver, brain and the baby's growth.
Key takeaways
- Usually starts: after 20 weeks of pregnancy
- High blood pressure in pregnancy: 140/90 mm Hg or higher
- Most useful single change: Go to every prenatal visit so your blood pressure and urine can be checked.
- Commonest mistake: Dismissing a bad headache or swelling as a normal part of late pregnancy.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
Why bother
It can worsen quickly and lead to seizures (eclampsia), stroke or organ damage, and it can begin after delivery, when people are no longer seeing their prenatal team.
Start here
Two things, and nothing else until both feel routine.
- Go to every prenatal visit so your blood pressure and urine can be checked
- Ask whether you should take low-dose aspirin if you have had preeclampsia before, or have chronic high blood pressure, diabetes or kidney disease
Then add these
Once the basics are in place, add these.
- If you are given a home blood pressure monitor, use it as instructed and record the readings
- Tell anyone treating you in the year after birth that you were recently pregnant
The numbers, in one place
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Usually starts | after 20 weeks of pregnancy |
| High blood pressure in pregnancy | 140/90 mm Hg or higher |
| After birth | can appear in the days after delivery and up to about 6 weeks later |
| Prevention for those at high risk | low-dose aspirin (81 mg) daily after 12 weeks, if your clinician recommends it |
| Key symptoms | severe headache, vision changes, pain in the upper right belly, sudden swelling of the face or hands, shortness of breath |
Common early mistakes
- Dismissing a bad headache or swelling as a normal part of late pregnancy
- Starting aspirin on your own without talking to your clinician
- Assuming the danger has passed once the baby is born
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Where to go next
- What the Guidance Really Says About Preeclampsia Warning Signs
- Making Sense of Preeclampsia Warning Signs
- Preeclampsia Warning Signs — the reference entry
- Pregnancy and Postpartum: The Complete Guide
- Vaccines During Pregnancy: What the Evidence Actually Says
- Postpartum Depression: What Published Guidance Supports
When to speak to a doctor
Call your prenatal care provider right away for a headache that will not go away, blurred vision or seeing spots, pain under the ribs on the right, sudden swelling or a blood pressure of 160/110 mm Hg or higher. Call 911 for a seizure, chest pain, trouble breathing, confusion or fainting, during pregnancy or after birth.
Where this comes from
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists — Preeclampsia and High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
- US Preventive Services Task Force — Aspirin Use to Prevent Preeclampsia and Related Morbidity and Mortality: Preventive Medication
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development — Preeclampsia and Eclampsia
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarized or generalized beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to your doctor, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 911.
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