Chances are you have read or heard about preeclampsia success stories. Well, these stories are true considering it is possible to reduce the risk in pregnancy provided you understand what is expected. Before going any further, preeclampsia is a condition that affectsabout 3-5% of pregnancies and present with high blood pressure. This in turn leads to serious complication in pregnancy especially when you do not consult a physician earlier enough.
Preeclampsia occurs when high blood pressure results in the leaking of protein from the kidneys into urine. When attending routine antenatal appointments, the doctor collects a sample of urine and tests it to see if it contains protein. You should, however, keep in mind preeclampsia is diagnosed after 20 weeks of pregnancy if arterial high BP is present together with conditions such as proteinuria, maternal organ dysfunction or foetal growth restriction.
During the early stages of pregnancy, it might prove hard for some women to show any protein in urine or develop high blood pressure. Nevertheless, you should be on lookout for symptoms such as swelling or puffiness of feet, hands or face, problems with vision, severe headache and pain below the ribs. Unfortunately, the only cure for preeclampsia is giving birth around 37-38 weeks of pregnancy.
Risk Factors for Preeclampsia
It is highly advisable for to be aware of risk factors for preeclampsia. To give you a tip of the iceberg, the biggest risk of preeclampsia is pre-eclamptic pregnancy and a family history of preeclampsia. When attending your first antenatal appointment, pre-screening for preeclampsia will take place with clinical history that taken along with a clinical examination.
Reducing Your Risk with Nutrition
Reading preeclampsia success stories, you will notice that making changes to your diet and lifestyle may go a long way in making sure you reduce your risk of preeclampsia. Actually, diet is by the most successful option when looking at maternal gestation weight gain. So, try focusing on a low glycaemic diet that consists of unprocessed whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans and healthy fats as they significantly reduce the risk of preeclampsia when compared to any other intervention.
In Conclusion
It is possible to reduce your risk of preeclampsia in pregnancy provided you understand what is expected. Hopefully, these tips can serve as a good starting point if you’re to make well-informed decisions. Spend some time going through preeclampsia success stories to get the inspiration you need.