Hyper eclampsia: what you should know

Eclampsia is a seizure disorder that can occur during pregnancy or after birth, often in the setting of pre-eclampsia. It can affect the brain, blood vessels, liver, kidneys, and placenta. A person may have warning symptoms such as a severe headache, flashing lights or blurred vision, pain beneath the ribs, sudden swelling, nausea, or feeling unusually unwell, but a seizure can also happen without clear warning.

The condition can threaten breathing and blood flow for both parent and baby. It is not the same as an ordinary faint or a typical pregnancy headache, and it cannot be safely assessed at home.

Call emergency services immediately. Keep the person on their side, clear nearby objects, protect the head, and note how long the seizure lasts. Do not restrain them, put anything in their mouth, or give food or drink until they are fully alert. In hospital, the team checks blood pressure and organ function, gives medicines to prevent further seizures, and decides how and when to deliver the baby.

Go to maternity triage or emergency care urgently for a seizure, severe headache that does not settle, vision changes, severe upper-abdominal pain, breathing difficulty, confusion, or sudden marked swelling. After birth, these symptoms still require emergency assessment because eclampsia can begin in the postpartum period.

Ask how your blood pressure and urine results are being monitored, which symptoms should trigger an emergency call, and what medicines may be used. If delivery is recommended, ask why a vaginal birth or a Caesarean Section is safer in your circumstances.