What Is Pre-Eclampsia?
Pre-eclampsia is the medical term for abnormally high blood pressure that typically happens after 20 weeks into a pregnancy. To diagnose pre-eclampsia, medical professionals look for a blood pressure of over 140.90 millimeters that is documented at least twice and at least four hours apart. Pregnant women may also have decreased platelets in the blood or excess protein in their urine due to kidney and liver problems. Other symptoms include headaches, bloating, nausea, shortness of breath, anxiety, or vision problems.
What Is Gestational Diabetes?
Gestational diabetes is a temporary type of diabetes that happens when a pregnant woman gets extremely high blood sugar levels. It can be diagnosed with a blood sugar test usually taken during the second trimester. Some women may feel tired, hungry, or thirsty, and they may experience frequent urination or yeast infections.
What Are the Dangers of Pre-Eclampsia?
Pre-eclampsia is dangerous for both mother and child. It can prevent the baby from getting enough blood, resulting in low birth weight and preterm birth. It may also cause the placenta to separate from the uterus before birth, cause damage to other organs, or increase cardiovascular disease risks. If it develops into eclampsia, the mother may undergo life-threatening seizures.
Is Gestational Diabetes Dangerous?
Gestational diabetes may go away after birth, but it is not harmless. Babies born to women with gestational diabetes tend to have a higher birth weight that may cause labor complications and premature birth. Later in life, infants of women with gestational diabetes are more likely to be obese or develop type 2 diabetes. Women with gestational diabetes are also more likely to get type 2 diabetes in the future.
Are the Two Conditions Related?
These two common maternal health problems are closely linked to each other. Gestational diabetes greatly raises pre-eclampsia risks because the higher levels of sugar in the blood cause high blood pressure to develop.
Because pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes may cause so many issues, it is important to keep an eye out for the symptoms and work with your doctor to treat them.
Do you have more questions about your maternal health? Talk to staff at WFMC Health or become a new patient today!
