Preeclampsia
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My doctor says that I have pregnancy induced hypertension (preeclampsia). I have been prescribed bed rest with specific orders to lay on my left side. What are the risks of preeclampsia and why do I have to stay on my left side?
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 (4 Answers) |
Sunday 21st of February 2010 06:32:32 PM
Preeclampsia is when you have abnormally high blood pressure in pregnancy. If left untreated, it can cause seizures, coma and even death. Preeclampsia can cause dizzyness and fainting, nausea and vomitting and headaches as well as swelling in the legs and feet. It can cause your baby to be born premature and suffer from cerebral palsy, epilepsy and hearing and vision problems. Sleeping on your left side is to prevent restricted blood flow to the baby that would otherwise be caused if sleeping on your back.
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Monday 1st of March 2010 12:46:46 AM
Preeclampsia comes with a host of risks that include:
1.) Preventing the placenta (which supplies baby with air and food) from receiving enough blood, thereby cause your baby to be born very small.
2.) It's one of the leading causes of premature births in addition to the difficulties that are associated with them including learning disabilities, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, as well as hearing and vision problems.
3.) In the most fatal cases, death of mother and baby.
Lying on your left side is thought to prevent the wieght of your uterus from pressing and constricting against vital blood vessels.
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Tuesday 2nd of March 2010 06:52:34 PM
pre-eclamsia is a common condition affecting 5-8% of all pregnancies. It is most common in first pregnancy and also in women who have mother who had pre-eclamsia. The risk for every pregnancy same. The signs are high blood pressure and increase urine protein. It usually affects women in 2nd (late) or third trimester. It can be an emergency and depending on the amount of protein in the urine and degree of blood pressure some women may be hospitalized to monitor and control symptoms and even induce early. Otherwise doctor, may ask patient to keep bed bound to decrease stress and lower blood pressure by staying in left side (decreases work load to heart and lowers BP) The symptoms include sudden increase in weight and swelling(edema), headaches with vision changes. Because if this progresses it can lead to seizures and liver, and kidney failure(eclampsia) causing demise in both mom and fetus one should seek immediate medical attention at beginning of any of the above symptoms.
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Saturday 6th of March 2010 11:00:03 PM
The most serious the greater the risk for both you and the baby. That is why your doctor has given you specific orders to strictly comply. If this is not taken care of seriously you may have chronic hypertension, diabetes, kidney disease just to name a few. Laying on the left is actually not been proven in any studies but this is something that is related to your heart.
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