Pre-eclampsia in the first trimester

Blood pressure and urine are checked from early antenatal care because they establish a baseline and can reveal conditions that existed before pregnancy. Early protein in urine may have causes other than pre-eclampsia, including kidney disease or infection. Your clinician may repeat tests, review symptoms and consider the pregnancy’s development. A single reading or symptom cannot establish the diagnosis, and a breast or abdominal symptom should not be interpreted as proof of a pregnancy complication without assessment.

Attend your first antenatal appointment and bring previous records, medicine details and information about kidney disease, high blood pressure or earlier pregnancies. If you have been asked to monitor blood pressure, use the recommended technique and share the readings. Do not stop blood-pressure medicine or begin aspirin without a clinician’s plan. Explore [Antenatal Care Package](/treatments/pregnancy-and-birth-care/antenatal-care-package/) and the overview of [Pre-eclampsia](/conditions/pre-eclampsia/).

Seek urgent maternity advice for a severe headache, vision disturbance, severe pain under the ribs, sudden swelling of the face or hands, breathlessness, repeated vomiting or feeling seriously unwell. Contact your team promptly if blood pressure is high or you cannot keep fluids down. Emergency help is appropriate for collapse, severe breathing difficulty or a seizure.

What could explain this early blood pressure or urine result? Which tests should be repeated? Do I need specialist review or a prevention plan?