What should you know about first symptoms of preeclampsia?

Pre-eclampsia is a pregnancy-related condition involving high blood pressure and possible effects on organs. It can develop after the middle of pregnancy and can also occur after birth. Some people feel well, which is why antenatal appointments include blood pressure and urine checks.

Possible warning signs include a severe or persistent headache, blurred vision or flashing lights, pain beneath the ribs, sudden swelling of the face or hands, vomiting, or breathlessness. These symptoms can have other causes, but they need prompt assessment during pregnancy or after delivery.

Contact your maternity team or an urgent medical service immediately if you have a warning sign, especially a severe headache, visual change, upper abdominal pain, or difficulty breathing. Do not wait for the next routine appointment. Tell the clinician how far along you are, when the symptom began, and whether it is getting worse.

Attend scheduled antenatal care even when you feel well. Bring a list of medicines and mention previous high blood pressure, kidney disease, diabetes, or a history of pregnancy complications. The care team may repeat blood pressure and urine checks and arrange blood tests or monitoring.

Seek emergency help for a seizure, severe breathlessness, chest pain, collapse, confusion, severe persistent headache, major vision change, or severe upper abdominal pain. Pregnancy-related warning signs should be assessed urgently because the condition can worsen without obvious early symptoms. After birth, seek the same level of help for these symptoms.

What warning signs should I monitor? How can I contact the maternity team at any hour? What do my blood pressure and urine results mean? What monitoring might I need? When should I attend hospital, and what are the possible plans for induction or caesarean birth if the condition develops?