The baby may be safer outside the uterus than inside in some cases. Pre-eclampsia, once called toxemia of pregnancy, describes a variety of conditions that occur only during pregnancy or shortly after delivery. For our discussion, I will use the term pre-eclampsia to simplify matters. These are all warning signs. Pre-eclampsia can progress to eclampsia.
Eclampsia refers to seizures or convulsions in a woman with pre-eclampsia.
Seizures are not caused by a previous history of epilepsy or a seizure disorder. You must have some other symptoms of pre-eclampsia as well. It is also possible to have hypertension during pregnancy without having pre-eclampsia. No one knows what causes pre-eclampsia or eclampsia. It occurs most often during a woman's first pregnancy.