What should you know about early pre eclampsia?

Pre-eclampsia can develop without obvious symptoms, which is why antenatal checks include blood pressure measurement and urine testing. Possible warning symptoms include a severe or persistent headache, blurred vision or flashing lights, pain below the ribs, sudden swelling of the face or hands, vomiting later in pregnancy, or feeling unusually unwell. Tests may include blood work to assess the liver, kidneys, and blood cells, together with checks on the baby's growth and wellbeing. Early-onset disease needs close specialist supervision because it can affect both parent and baby.

Contact your maternity team promptly if a warning symptom appears, even if a recent blood pressure check was normal. Keep scheduled antenatal appointments and take prescribed medicines exactly as directed. Monitoring may involve repeat blood pressure readings, urine checks, blood tests, and ultrasound assessment. The team will balance pregnancy maturity, your health, and the baby's condition when discussing continued monitoring, induction of labour, or caesarean section.

Go to emergency maternity care for severe headache, visual changes, severe upper-abdominal pain, breathlessness, chest pain, fainting, seizure, heavy bleeding, or a major reduction in fetal movement. Do not wait for a routine appointment if you feel suddenly or seriously unwell.

Ask what your blood pressure and urine results mean, how often monitoring is needed, which symptoms should trigger a call, and how medicines may affect you and the pregnancy. Ask how delivery timing would be decided if the condition worsens.