Eclampsia

Uncommon card · No. 130694

Eclampsia is the onset of seizures (convulsions) in a pregnant woman with pre-eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy that presents with three main features: new onset of high blood pressure, large amounts of protein in the urine or other organ dysfunction, and edema. If left untreated, pre-eclampsia can result in long-term consequences for the pregnant woman, namely increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and associated complications. In more severe cases, it may be fatal for both the pregnant woman and the fetus. The diagnostic criterion for pre-eclampsia is high blood pressure, occurring after 20 weeks of gestation or during the second half of pregnancy. Most often it occurs during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy and may occur before, during, or after delivery. The seizures are of the tonic–clonic type and typically last about a minute. Following the seizure, there is either a period of confusion or coma. Other complications include aspiration pneumonia, cerebral...

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