association of preeclampsia with elderly and young
primigravidae.
Zhang and associates (2002) reported that the incidence
of preeclampsia was doubled in women whose daily intake
of ascorbic acid was less than 85 mg.4
Villar and associates (2006) showed that calcium
supplementation in population with low dietary calcium
intake had a small effect to lower perinatal mortality rates,
but no effect on the incidence of preeclampsia.5
Preeclampsia is principally a syndrome of signs and when
symptoms appear, it is usually late.
Hypertension is the most important sign of preeclampsia
because it refl ects the severity of the disease.
Proteinuria is a sign of preeclampsia which is defi ned as
more than or equal to 300 mg of protein in a 24-hour urine
collection. Proteinuria is also valuable as a sign of severity
and a value of more than or equal to 5 g in 24 hours is one
of the criteria to classify preeclampsia as severe.
Increase in weight and edema are no longer considered
signs of preeclampsia. Headaches are usually present
in severe forms of preeclampsia. Epigastric pain is also
common in patients with severe forms of the disease,
particularly HELLP syndrome.
Blurring or diminish of vision or sometimes complete
blindness can occur. It usually regains within 4-6 weeks
following delivery.
The only possible known treatments for eclampsia or
advancing preeclampsia are abortion or delivery either by
labour induction or caesarean section.
However, post-partum pre-eclampsia may occur up to
6 weeks following delivery even if symptoms were not
present during the pregnancy. Post-partum pre-eclampsia
might be dangerous to the health of the mother since she
may ignore or dismiss symptoms as simple post delivery
headache and edema.
Hypertension can sometimes be controlled with taking anti
hypertensive drugs.
Women with underlying infl ammatory disorders such as
chronic hypertension or autoimmune diseases would likely
benefi t from aggressive treatment of those conditions
prior to conception, tamping down the overactive immune
system.