Pre-eclampsia-continued

No one knows what causes pre-eclampsia or why some women are more likely to get it than others. Many doctors believe that pre-eclampsia is an abnormal maternal reaction to placental tissue. It is most common in first time mothers, particularly those at either end of the reproductive years, teenagers and women over 35. It is well known that pre-eclampsia is rapidly cured (within 24-48 hours) by the delivery of the baby and placenta.

If your blood pressure is very high, or if it continues to rise despite bed rest, you may be admitted to the hospital. There, a decision will be made about whether or not your baby should be delivered early. Many factors go into making the decision, including how far you are from your due date, whether your baby is being adversely affected by your high blood pressure, and, most importantly, how the disease is affecting you. Anyone who has significant symptoms or very abnormal blood test results will probably have labor induced. That's because the disease will only get worse until after the baby has been delivered.

Labor is usually induced intravenously with pitocin. Pitocin is a synthetic hormone that is chemically identical to the hormone oxytocin, which causes contractions. Women who have pre-eclampsia tend to have a more rapid response to Pitocin, and possibly, a faster labor; it's almost as if the uterus senses the need for an early delivery. If labor cannot be induced successfully, or if further problems develop during labor, a Caesarean section may be necessary.