Drs check up Tuesday = blood pressure 157/98 (my normal = 120/70 or lower). they immediately send me to women's hospital and hooked me up to the blood pressure machine (checking my bp every 15 mins) as well as the fetal monitor to listen to Will's heart beat and make sure he was getting enough oxygen. Everything turned out good when i left 2hrs later. My bp dropped within the normal range and Will was doing great! but they still felt like the best option was to put me on bp medication. if i was further along they may have just gone ahead and induced me but they really want to try and get me to 39 weeks. unless of course my health become in jeopardy or he decides to come early. They did check me to see if i had progressed any and NO i had no signs of the approaching D day, except that he is head down and at a -2 in my pelvis.
so the finally news is that they will continue to monitor me very closely esp. now that i've entered the "high risk" category. they are concerned that i could develop preeclampsia very quickly and preeclampsia can be life threating... NOOO don't make a worrier worry!! that can't help my bp.
Preeclampsia (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001900/)
Preeclampsia is a pregnancy condition in which high blood pressure and protein in the urine develop after the 20th week (late 2nd or 3rd trimester) of pregnancy.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
The exact cause of preeclampsia is not known. Possible causes include:
- Blood vessel problems
- Diet
- Genes
Preeclampsia occurs in a small percentage of pregnancies. Risk factors include:
- First pregnancy NO
- Multiple pregnancy (twins or more) NO
- Obesity YES I'M OVER WEIGHT
- Older than age 35 NO
Symptoms
Often, women who are diagnosed with preeclampsia do not feel sick.
Symptoms of preeclampsia can include:
- Swelling of the hands and face/eyes (edema) YES
- Weight gain YES (5lbs just this last week)
- More than 2 pounds per week
- Sudden weight gain over 1 - 2 days
Note: Some swelling of the feet and ankles is considered normal with pregnancy.
Symptoms of more severe preeclampsia:
- Headaches that are dull or throbbing and will not go away NO
- Abdominal pain, mostly felt on the right side, underneath the ribs. Pain may also be felt in the right shoulder, and can be confused with heartburn, gallbladder pain, a stomach virus, or the baby kicking NO
- Agitation NO
- Decreased urine output, not urinating very often NO
- Nausea and vomiting (worrisome sign) NO
- Vision changes -- temporary loss of vision, sensations of flashing lights, auras, light sensitivity, spots, and blurry vision NO
Signs and tests
The doctor will perform a physical exam and order laboratory tests. Signs of preclampsia include:
- High blood pressure, usually higher than 140/90 mm/Hg YES
- Protein in the urine (proteinuria) YES
The physical exam may also reveal:
- Swelling in the hands and face YES
- Weight gain YES
Blood and urine tests will be done. Abnormal results include:
- Protein in the urine (proteinuria) NO
- Higher-than-normal liver enzymes NO
- Platelet count less than 100,000 (thrombocytopenia) NO
Your doctor will also order tests to see how well your blood clots, and to monitor the health of the baby. Tests to monitor the baby's well-being include pregnancy ultrasound, non-stress test, and a biophysical profile. The results of these tests will help your doctor decide whether your baby needs to be delivered immediately. Had the non-stress test at the hospital.
Women who began their pregnancy with very low blood pressure, but had a significant rise in blood pressure need to be watched closely for other signs of preeclampsia.
Treatment
The only way to cure preeclampsia is to deliver the baby.
If your baby is developed enough (usually 37 weeks or later), your doctor may want your baby to be delivered so the preeclampsia does not get worse. You may receive different treatments to help trigger labor, or you may need a c-section.
If your baby is not fully developed and you have mild preeclampsia, the disease can often be managed at home until your baby has a good chance of surviving after delivery. The doctor will probably recommend the following:
- Getting bed rest at home, lying on your left side most or all of the time DR knew this would be difficult considering i have 2 young kids.
- Drinking extra glasses of water a day and eating less salt CHECK
- Following-up with your doctor more often to make sure you and your baby are doing well CHECK
- Taking medicines to lower your blood pressure (in some cases) YUP
Immediately call your doctor if you gain more weight or have new symptoms.
In some cases, a pregnant woman with preeclampsia is admitted to the hospital so the health care team can more closely watch the baby and mother.
Treatment may involve:
- Medicines given into a vein to control blood pressure, as well as to prevent seizures and other complications
- Steroid injections (after 24 weeks) to help speed up the development of the baby's lungs
You and your doctor will continue to discuss the safest time to deliver your baby, considering:
- How close you are to your due date. The further along you are in the pregnancy before you deliver, the better it is for your baby.
- The severity of the preeclampsia. Preeclampsia has many severe complications that can harm the mother.
- How well the baby is doing in the womb.
The baby must be delivered if you have signs of severe preeclampsia, which include:
- Tests (ultrasound, biophysical profile) that show your baby is not growing well or is not getting enough blood and oxygen
- The bottom number of the mother's blood pressure is confirmed to be over 110 mmHg or is greater than 100 mmHg consistently over a 24-hour period MARTY THIS IS WHY THEY HAD TO GET JOSHUA EARLY
- Abnormal liver function tests
- Severe headaches
- Pain in the belly area (abdomen)
- Fluid in the mother's lungs (pulmonary edema)
- Low platelet count (thrombocytopenia)
- Decline in kidney function (low amount of urine, large amount of protein in the urine, increase in the level of creatinine in the blood)
Now aren't you glad i filled you in on all this information? :)
Drs visit today bp was 120/80 : can't get much better than that. they are just going to continue monitoring me weekly, possibly 2x a week. i was seeing a midwife but now that's i'm "high risk" i have to switch over to the Dr care. which isn't really want i want but i know it will still be great care. and hopefully i will still be able to have the type of delivery that i want to have. but i am trying not to set myself up for any disappointments... just going to go with the flow and get Will here safely. Just going to focus on me and the baby and hopefully he'll stay in there as long as he needs (but i am ready to meet him). i'll be back to the drs on tuesday!!
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