And with more and more older mothers and multiple births, the frightening condition isn't likely to diminish soon. But the National Institutes of Health just sounded an alarm that the pre-eclampsia rate rose nearly a third in the 1990s. Pre-eclampsia is diagnosed late in pregnancy with a sudden rise in blood pressure, protein in urine, and swelling of the hands, face or feet. Other signs are pain in the upper right abdomen, and headaches or visual disturbances. Scientists now think a pre-eclamptic woman's vessels are constricted from the beginning, reducing blood flow to the fetus and her own organs, thus potentially causing kidney and other damage.
Some women worsen to have seizures, called eclampsia.
At least part of the reason is more women delaying childbirth until they are older than 35, and a rise in multiple births. E-mail this story to a friend. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution, or retransmission of any of the contents of this service without the expressed written consent of the Lexington Herald-Leader is prohibited.