When to worry about swelling in pregnancy with pre-eclampsia

Pregnancy can cause gradual swelling in the feet and ankles. With pre-eclampsia, swelling may be sudden, marked, or noticeable in the face, hands, or around the eyes. Swelling alone cannot show how serious the condition is. Blood pressure, urine checks, blood tests, symptoms, and the baby's wellbeing help the maternity team assess what is happening.

Tell your maternity team about any new or rapidly worsening swelling, even if you have no other symptoms. Follow the monitoring and medicine plan you were given, attend blood-pressure and urine checks, and keep a record of symptoms and readings if your team asked you to do so. Do not wait for swelling to disappear before reporting a change.

Get urgent maternity care for a severe or persistent headache, blurred vision or flashing lights, pain under the ribs or in the upper abdomen, vomiting that is new or severe, sudden breathlessness, chest pain, confusion, fainting, or a seizure. Reduced fetal movement also needs immediate contact with your maternity unit. Pre-eclampsia can worsen quickly, so use the urgent route provided by your care team.

Ask what blood-pressure result requires immediate contact, how your urine and blood results will be followed, and which symptoms mean hospital assessment. Ask how to monitor fetal movement and what to do if you cannot reach your usual clinician.