Pre-eclampsia: Latest News
Pre-eclampsia usually developes after the 20th week of pregnancy and is caused when the placenta stops delivering nutrients and oxygen to the baby as efficiently. Pre-eclampsia is characterised by high blood pressure, increased swelling of the hands and feet and protein in the urine. Other symptoms include persistent headaches, blurred vision, flashing lights and abdominal pain on the right side of the body below the ribcage. Many women suffering from pre-eclampsia feel fine and only learn of the condition when their blood pressure is high. Pre-eclampsia typically occurs after 20 weeks gestation but can occur earlier in some cases.
The causes of pre-eclampsia are uncertain, but research suggests it may be linked to an immune reaction to the foetus or the placenta. Pre-eclampsia is often hereditary. Women are advised to rest or take tablets to reduce their blood pressure. Delivery of the baby is the only cure and induction or a caesarean may be performed if you are severely affected and your baby may have to be delivered before term (which is 37 weeks). Pre-Eclampsia will probably take 48 hours after you have delivered your baby to subside. If early pre-eclampsia is detected you may be advised to have time off work and have complete bed rest, take blood pressure tablets and sometimes, hospitalisation is required.
U.S. researchers studied 250 pregnant women with Lupus or a similar immune disorder and found that thirty developed pre-eclampsia, while ten had suffered it previous to the study. In the 40 that suffered pre-eclampsia, scientists looked at three genes involved in the body’s immune response and found that seven of the women had mutations in at least one of these genes.
The scientists also found the mutations in five of the 59 pregnant women with pre-eclampsia who did not suffer from an immune disorder.
Dr John Atkinson, of Washington University School of medicine in St Louis, Missouri said: “We’re going to need to confirm these links in a larger study, but if they are validated it may be possible to develop better ways to identify and treat women at risk”.
According to Atkinson, if further research confirms the links between immune system dysfunction and pre-eclampsia, it may be possible to adapt drugs to suppress immune system responses in at-risk mothers. Researchers plan to study more pregnant women to further understand the genetic links to pre-eclampsia.
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Mothercare
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