Researchers are developing a blood test that might identify a woman’s risk for preeclampsia early on during her pregnancy, according to an article featured in Businessweek. This is great news for moms who have a family history or a personal history with the disease and are especially concerned over whether they can expect to develop preeclampsia near the end of their pregnancy. The test uses metabolic profiling to identify certain biomarkers in the blood that give away a woman’s level of risk for developing preeclampsia later on. Researchers identified fourteen metabolic targets to watch for signs of preeclampsia risk. Researchers … Continue reading →

Pregnant? You may just want to have your thyroid hormone levels checked. If your thyroxine levels are even just a little bit off, you may be at an increased risk for delivery complications. Thyroxine is the main hormone secreted by the thyroid, which is responsible for metabolism, protein production and the body’s sensitivity to other hormones. Too little thyroxine may increase your risk of miscarriage, premature birth, and pre-eclampsia. (Interestingly enough, pre-eclampsia has recently been linked to increased risk for thyroid problems later in life.) Now researchers are saying that even moderately low to normal levels of the hormone may … Continue reading →

A new study concludes that women suffering from pre-eclampsia should be induced after 37 weeks of pregnancy. Pre-eclampsia occurs when a pregnant woman develops high blood pressure and has the presence of protein in her urine. It can be very dangerous if left untreated. It was found that inducing labor in women beyond 37 weeks cut the risks of severe high blood pressure and the need for cesarean section. In addition, women who had induced labor had a 29 percent lower risk for developing poor maternal outcome, which may include death, eclampsia, pulmonary edema, progression to severe high blood pressure, … Continue reading →

Preeclampsia is one of the more serious complications of pregnancy, affecting between three and eight percent of all pregnancies, depending on the source. According to the World Health Organization, this condition is responsible for about 19 percent of all maternal deaths. The main symptoms of pre-eclampsia include high blood pressure, protein in the urine and fluid retention, which leads to swelling. The condition is generally discovered during routine prenatal visits. The problem has been diagnosing the condition before it becomes a medical emergency. There may be good news for earlier diagnosis. Canadian researchers at The University of Ontario and the … Continue reading →

Pre-eclampsia and eclampsia are basically two forms of the same disorder. Pre-eclampsia is a complication of pregnancy involving a sudden increase in blood pressure, protein in the urine and swelling of the extremities. Women with pre-eclampsia are carefully monitored, are often put on bed rest and are at increased risk of preterm labor, interventions during birth and c section delivery. There are varying degrees of severity in pre-eclampsia. Eclampsia is the most serious form of this disorder. If pre-eclampsia is not properly diagnosed and treated, the condition can quickly progress to eclampsia. For this reason, your doctor will monitor your … Continue reading →