Eclampsia, a serious complication of pre-eclampsia, commonly known as pregnancy poisoning, is a seizure-based condition caused by high blood pressure during pregnancy. Seizures can lead to fainting, convulsions in the limbs, temporary loss of consciousness, severe body tremors and harmful brain activity. Eclampsia, a serious condition that threatens the life of the mother and baby, often requires urgent termination of pregnancy when it occurs during pregnancy.
When is eclampsia seen?
The majority of eclampsia seizures usually occur before birth and in the first 48 hours after birth. During pregnancy, the disease can be diagnosed in the 20th week of gestation. is observed after one week. In very rare cases, the 20th day of pregnancy There have also been cases of eclampsia crises before the first week of pregnancy or long after delivery (2-3 weeks).
What are the Symptoms of Eclampsia?
Because eclampsia is a complication of pre-eclampsia, the symptoms can be similar. Swelling of the face and hands, headache, excessive weight gain, nausea and vomiting, vision problems are common symptoms. However, the most common symptoms that indicate that the expectant mother is experiencing eclampsia are as follows:
- Seizures
- Loss of consciousness
- Trembling as if having an epileptic seizure
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Right upper abdominal pain
How is eclampsia treated?
37 weeks of pregnancy in the expectant mother If pre-eclampsia is diagnosed before the first week of pregnancy, treatment methods such as bed rest, medication or hospitalization are recommended. Anticonvulsive drug derivatives are used to prevent seizures. In addition, blood pressure, i.e. high blood pressure, should be lowered with antihypertensive drugs. It is very important to open the airway as the mother-to-be’s airway may be blocked during a seizure. In addition, the expectant mother will receive treatment to improve liver and platelet function.
However, in cases of pre-eclampsia or eclampsia that occur during pregnancy, the definitive treatment is immediate delivery of the expectant mother. Eclampsia during labor is a difficult condition to diagnose because it has similar symptoms to a stroke. Computerized brain tomography can be performed to determine the exact cause, blood pressure values are examined and the condition is kept under control with treatments such as reducing the risk of convulsions and lowering blood pressure.
