Prepare for a confident birth – The Birth Class
What is infertility?
The Two Week Wait
What is Pre-eclampsia?
Non-invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT)
Managing Labour Pain
Breech Birth
Cracked Nipples: Causes, Treatment and Prevention
5 Tips for Travelling With Kids
If at any stage of your pregnancy you suddenly develop a new symptom, you start to feel unwell or have a fever, or you notice a change in your baby’s pattern of movement, we encourage you to contact your care provider without delay. You’re the best judge of your body and your baby – you know better than anyone! – and regardless of the time of day or night, you’re never being a bother. Remember: your obstetrician or midwife wants to hear from you if you have any concerns (even if you don’t feel quite right but you can’t exactly pinpoint what your concerns are).
Early diagnosis and prompt medical management helps to prevent the serious complications of pre-eclampsia.
Preeclampsia is the most common of serious pregnancy conditions. It typically presents in the second or third trimester, with early signs being high blood pressure (hypertension) or protein in the urine. You may not be aware of these symptoms, hence blood pressure and urine samples are routine checks in all antenatal appointments. High blood pressure affects one in 10 pregnant women and isn’t always a sign of preeclampsia. However, protein in the urine is a good indicator of the condition.
Symptoms of preeclampsia include:
There’s actually no known causes of pre-eclampsia but you are at higher risk of developing it if this is your first pregnancy, you have a history of high-blood pressure or you had pre-eclampsia in a past pregnancy. Other risk factors include: :
Mild pre-eclampsia can be monitored throughout your pregnancy but you can expect more frequent antenatal appointments so your care provider can closely monitor you and your baby. At these appointments your midwife will take your blood pressure, request a urine sample to test for protein (this is known as ‘proteinuria’), and ask about any other symptoms.
If your pre-eclampsia is considered severe, you will likely be admitted to hospital for continuous monitoring. In most cases, you won’t return home until you’ve birthed your baby. Pre-eclampsia – and its associated high blood pressure – can be treated with medication but the only cure is to birth your baby.
Pre-eclampsia can affect the functioning of the placenta which, in turn, affects the amount of blood and nutrients your baby receives. If ultrasounds show your baby’s growth has slowed, they will typically be diagnosed with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) which can be monitored for a while but in most cases, will prompt an induction of labour. A change of plans is always overwhelming, especially if you hoped for labour to start spontaneously, but positive induction stories do exist!
Pre-eclampsia can prompt HELPP syndrome (Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzyme levels, and Low Platelet levels) which is a serious condition resulting in high blood pressure, liver dysfunction and blood clotting issues (particularly problematic after birth). If your pre-eclampsia is serious, you’ll be required to stay in hospital before birth and you’ll be advised to stay for a few days afterwards to ensure you can be monitored for any developing symptoms.
Complications are rare but can include:
If you’ve been diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, you might find comfort in other women’s stories. Listen to Lou’s story in episode 119, Ash’s story in episode 269, Roisin’s story in episode 499 and Erika in episode 497.
We think you might enjoy these articles
pregnancy
Pre-eclampsia is considered a serious pregnancy complication that requires prompt medical attention. It occurs after 20 weeks gestation and in rarer cases, can develop after birth (this is called ‘postpartum pre-eclampsia’). Between five and ten percent of preterm births in Australia are due to pre-eclampsia and its associated symptoms.
Noninvasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) is a blood screening test that determines the risk of your baby being born with certain chromosomal abnormalities, such as trisomy 21, trisomy 18 and trisomy 13. It’s commonly called the Harmony Test and is done at 10 weeks gestation. It’s also an opportunity to find out the sex of your baby earlier than an ultrasound. In these stories, women share the reasons why they opted to have a NIPT.
Following your 12 week combined screening test, results may show low PAPP-A. This isn’t uncommon but it’s also not something that’s commonly discussed between friends or in pregnancy forums, hence it can be overwhelming at first.
If you are preparing for your glucose tolerance test between 24 to 28 weeks (or earlier if you have a history of insulin resistance), you may be wondering what gestational diabetes is and how it affects your pregnancy.
Chances are you’ve never heard of cytomegalovirus, even though you’ve likely had it. It’s a very common virus in the herpes virus family with 50 per cent of Australians having been infected by young adulthood and up to 85 per cent by 40 years of age.
Pregnancy is a common experience but we can’t forget how miraculous it is. The fact that you’re growing new life within you - and a whole new, temporary organ to sustain that life - is mind blowing when you stop to *actually* think about it. And for these reasons, it’s so important that you prioritise rest in pregnancy because it’s true - your body is working so hard to grow and sustain your baby and keep you healthy and energised, too.
If you’re nearing the end of your pregnancy, you’re likely taking note of every little twinge. It can quickly become allconsuming, especially if you’re past your estimated due date and well and truly over being pregnant.
The Miles Circuit can be used as a tool to encourage your baby into an aligned and ideal birthing position.