Table of Contents
What is pregnancy poisoning?
We can reassure you: A gestosis is not really poisoning. So you can breathe easy. The causes of pregnancy poisoning are therefore that the organism reacts to the strong physical changes that occur at the beginning of pregnancy. A distinction is made between early gestosis and late gestosis, for example, vomiting in the morning counts as an early gestosis. All symptoms that develop after the 20th week of pregnancy are delayed. These are the HELLP syndrome, high blood pressure during pregnancy, preeclampsia, eclampsia, and slug gestosis.
How do I recognize pregnancy poisoning?
It will probably be the attending physician who suspects and diagnoses the toxemia of pregnancy. Thanks to regular examinations during pregnancy, changes and pathological symptoms can be diagnosed quickly. A typical sign is the increased excretion of protein in the urine in combination with increased blood pressure. In the case of pregnant women, blood pressure must be higher than 140/90 mmHg. The excretion of protein is measured in the laboratory. If the value exceeds 300 mg per day, proteinuria is spoken of, which fits into the symptoms of toxemia during pregnancy. You can recognize accumulations of water in your feet, hands or face yourself.
How is pregnancy poisoning treated?
The treatment of toxaemia during pregnancy varies from woman to woman. In the case of oedema, it is important to elevate the legs, additional compression stockings should allow the water to flow back. Monitoring high blood pressure is important. If you have mild high blood pressure, you should avoid stress; walks in the fresh air make sense. However, if the blood pressure is permanently at 150/100 mmHg, pregnant women are often referred to the hospital. This is to prevent a possible cerebral hemorrhage. Magnesium supplements serve to prevent eclampsia. If the reference values are in the border area, a weekly check by the doctor is sufficient. If preeclampsia is present, the premature delivery of the child may be the only way to treat the disease in the second trimester of pregnancy or to prevent it.
Where does pain occur?
It is mainly headaches caused by high blood pressure and water retention in the legs that bother the pregnant woman. There may also be pain in the upper right abdomen. Although nausea and vomiting are not pain, they are among the list of unpleasant symptoms .
When is pregnancy poisoning dangerous?
The severe form of gestosis can occur after the 28th week of pregnancy . In this case, the doctor will decide whether it makes more sense to induce labor before the scheduled date, so as not to endanger the health of the baby. High blood pressure is problematic for women who already suffered from high blood pressure before pregnancy. Make sure that you discuss such clinical pictures with your doctor.
The risk factors of a gestosis also determine the danger of the disease. These include previous gestosis in a previous pregnancy or family members who suffered from a gestosis. Kidney diseases can also be problematic during pregnancy in connection with the gestosis. The age of the pregnant woman also plays a role, as does an existing diabetes mellitus.
What are the causes?
The causes of pregnancy poisoning have not yet been sufficiently clarified. Nevertheless, doctors assume a family disposition. Furthermore, circulatory disorders of the placenta and disorders of the microcirculation of the organism are considered possible causes. Likewise, diseases of the kidneys are regarded as the cause of the gestosis. The causes given clearly show that the risk factors can be significantly reduced through a healthy lifestyle and exercise.
What are the consequences of pregnancy poisoning?
It becomes difficult when the high blood pressure in pregnancy develops into preeclampsia or EPH gestosis. This is a late gestosis with the combination symptoms of water retention, high protein in the urine and high blood pressure. Very rarely, it even occurs up to 14 days after delivery. If severe preeclampsia has developed during the final weeks of pregnancy, this can result in HELLP syndrome. In this case, too, a quick birth is initiated, since this situation can be dangerous for both mother and child. Across Europe, only two percent of all pregnant women are affected.
