How is pre-eclampsia treated?

Your maternity team may check blood pressure repeatedly, test urine for protein, and use blood tests to assess the liver, kidneys, and blood cells. They may also monitor the baby’s growth, movements, and heart rate. Treatment can be arranged in hospital or with frequent outpatient reviews, depending on the findings. Pre-eclampsia can present with severe headache, vision changes, upper abdominal pain, or sudden swelling, although some people have no clear warning symptoms.

Take prescribed blood-pressure medicine exactly as directed and attend every monitoring appointment. Your team may recommend rest periods, but strict bed rest is not a general treatment plan. If the condition is severe, hospital care allows rapid treatment and observation. Magnesium sulfate may be used to reduce seizure risk in selected situations. If birth is advised, induction of labour may be discussed when it is suitable; a caesarean birth may be considered for other clinical reasons. The team will balance your health with the baby’s maturity and test results.

Contact your maternity unit urgently for a severe or persistent headache, blurred vision or flashing lights, severe pain below the ribs, marked swelling of the face or hands, breathlessness, or reduced baby movements. Do not wait for a routine antenatal appointment if these occur. Severe abdominal pain, severe headache, or vision changes in pregnancy need prompt assessment because pre-eclampsia can worsen quickly.

How severe is my pre-eclampsia? Which tests will I need and how often? What blood-pressure target are we using? What symptoms mean I should return immediately? Could induction of labour be appropriate, and what would make birth more urgent?