Preeclampsia Foundation

No family should have to face early delivery due to preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome or eclampsia.

Give today to create a tomorrow where there are better treatment options than, "We need to deliver your baby today."

Give today to create a better tomorrow: www.preeclampsia.org/GiveToday

Preeclampsia can affect the brain (as evidenced by cerebral edema and seizures) and some research has found long-term changes in the brains of those with a history of preeclampsia. Researchers wanted to see if there was an association between preeclampsia or gestational hypertension (GH) and level of cognitive function and/or cognitive decline in midlife. They also wanted to compare brain structure between women with and without a history of hypertensive disorder of pregnancy using brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

TAKE HOME MESSAGE: This study shows a link between preeclampsia and long-term brain health. Although more research needs to be done, persons who have preeclampsia or GH experienced changes in cognitive performance or what is casually referred to as brain fog. They also had a greater rate of cognitive decline in mid-life. GH and preeclampsia were associated with more white matter lesions in their brains which can lead to serious conditions later in life. It is important to continue regular care with your primary care provider. If you notice any changes in cognition make them aware of your health history with preeclampsia or other hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. Follow up with a neurologist may be necessary.

Read more about this study here: https://preeclampsia.org/the-news/research/hypertensive-disorders-of-pregnancy-and-brain-health-in-midlife

Postpartum care required for the mother and the baby often requires them to be apart, sometimes even at different hospitals. This can be a very difficult experience for the whole family unit. Mothers are sometimes taken care of in the Mother Baby unit of the hospital, but their baby is on an entirely different floor (or even hospital!).

Providers, friends and family members must understand how emotionally and mentally taxing this is on the mother. It is often talked about how important bonding is after birth, but in a situation like preeclampsia and prematurity that bonding may be delayed for weeks to months due to the health of mother and/or baby.

Did your baby experience prematurity due to preeclampsia/HELLP syndrome/eclampsia? If so, were you in the same hospital or different?

Are you interested in having a Promise Walk for Preeclampsia in your community? Host one! Fill out the form at the link below and a member of our team will contact you. 💓

Wordwide, preeclampsia is responsible for up to 20% of the 13 million preterm births each year.

A baby is considered premature if he or she is born before 37 weeks. The effects of being born early can vary widely. Some babies may spend only a day or two under close observations while others may spend the first weeks or months of their life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Some babies may also have lifelong problems such as learning disorders, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, blindness, and deafness.

Having a premature baby can also mean a great deal of emotional and financial stress for a family.

Was your baby born premature due to preeclampsia, eclampsia or HELLP syndrome? Let us know in the comments below.

Learn more: https://preeclampsia.org/faqs

The holiday season is here! 🌟 Purchase your holiday decor from our Lynch Creek fundraising page and a portion of sales is donated to us. Your purchase will ship directly to wherever you are located.

Purchase here:https://lynchcreekwreaths.com/?campaign_id=0457119

For today's we are sharing Kristin's story with

Kristin writes, "When I got [to the ER], I told the triage nurse that I was having a persistent headache, some new feet swelling that wasn’t there the day prior and that my BP was increasing at home. He downplayed all of my symptoms- “You have a headache because you’re not sleeping well, your feet are swollen from all of the fluids during labor and your BP may be high from stress of having a newborn.” Meanwhile, the machine struggled to get a reading because it was so high. Sure enough, 182/110.

When I started crying and told him I was a postpartum nurse and know how scary preeclampsia can be, he looked shocked and asked why I didn’t tell him that before. I was so upset because no patient should ever have their symptoms downplayed. Things happened quickly after that- IV, mag bolus and a 72 hour hospital stay. I had a similar situation with my second pregnancy (even despite taking baby aspirin for 9 months), only at 6 days postpartum and a much more severe headache this time. I’m so grateful I was a postpartum nurse and knew the warning signs because having had no prior BP issues, postpartum pre eclampsia symptoms can easily be glanced over and result in seizures, stroke and death."

Read more: https://preeclampsia.org/our-stories/postpartum-pre-e

For today's we are sharing Haley's story with

Haley writes, "During my first and only pregnancy to date, I was diagnosed with HELLP Syndrome at 22 weeks gestation. For those that don’t know, HELLP Syndrome is a severe variant of Preeclampsia. It is a rare and life threatening condition that affects the blood and liver during pregnancy and postpartum. One to two pregnancies out of 1,000 can develop HELLP Syndrome, and 34% of babies die from this condition. At 22 weeks, on November 7th, 2022, our daughter Harper did not survive her birth due to severe growth restriction that was caused by this disease.

There is a history of Preeclampsia in my family that my doctors were aware of when I became pregnant. My mother had Preeclampsia with me delivering at 29 weeks, and I weighed 2lbs 2oz. Unfortunately, during my prenatal visits, my doctors did not suggest I should be taking baby aspirin even knowing my history. As a new expecting mother, I did not know how to advocate for myself and inquire about ways to prevent the onset of Preeclampsia due to family history. Other symptoms I experienced starting at 20 weeks gestation that I now know are symptoms of HELLP Syndrome included pain in the upper right side of my abdomen and vomiting acid. When I inquired about these symptoms, my doctors told me I just had acid reflux and to take some over the counter medicine."

Read more of Haley's story here: https://preeclampsia.org/our-stories/haleys-hellp-syndrome-story-north-carolina-promise-walk-for-preeclampsia-mission-mom

November is

For many members in our community, prematurity is a part of their story. We honor and remember all the babies who were born too soon.

Was your baby born prematurely? Tell us about it in the comments below. ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Hosting a Promise Walk for Preeclampsia can be an empowering as you give back and support the preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome and eclampsia community in your local area. St. Louis Promise Walk Chair, Marie Laurie felt closer to her daughter she tragically lost during pregnancy as she volunteered to bring a Promise Walk to her local community.

Learn how to bring a Promise Walk for Preeclampsia to YOUR community here: https://preeclampsia.org/become-a-promise-walk-chair

We are so grateful for everything 140 over 90 Run has done. We are so excited for the final year! See the post below for details of the contest to design the medal.

Heart Health after preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome and eclampsia.

Women who have had preeclampsia have 3 to 4 times the risk of high blood pressure and double the risk for heart disease and stroke. They also have an increased risk of developing diabetes.

For women who had preeclampsia and delivered preterm, had low-birthweight babies, or suffered from severe preeclampsia more than once, the risk of heart disease can be even higher. While still unknown whether the risk is caused by preeclampsia or if the woman was already predisposed, these risks first emerge in the years following a complicated pregnancy. Although this may seem daunting, ample research shows that there are many ways for women to protect their heart health and that of their families!

This research does not mean you will definitely develop heart problems if you had preeclampsia, but for some women pregnancy can serve as an early warning sign for future heart disease.

Ways to Lower your risk:
-Talk to your provider about your pregnancy history
-Get adequate physical activity (For example, walk 30 minutes five times a week and do muscle-strengthening exercises two or more times a week)
-Eat a heart healthy diet
-Stay/get to a healthy weight
-If you smoke--STOP
-Know your family health history (if you have a history of heart disease or high blood pressure, you are more likely to get it later on than those who don't)
-Know your numbers (your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugars)

The link between preeclampsia and heart disease is not yet well known among the general population. Feel free to share our resources and webpage to begin the conversation with your providers.

Learn more: https://preeclampsia.org/heart-disease-stroke..

Blood pressure matters to women's heart health even after pregnancy and postpartum. CHECK your blood pressure. KNOW your numbers. SHARE with your provider.

Learn more about blood pressure and why it matters in pregnancy here: https://preeclampsia.org//blood-pressure

Preeclampsia and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy occur in 5-8% of all pregnancies of women. 15% of these women will develop HELLP syndrome.

Learn more: https://preeclampsia.org/faqs

For today's we are sharing Elli's story with

Elli writes, "I had a completely healthy pregnancy up until 38 weeks. The previous week I got my blood levels tested and the urine test done, but everything seemed normal. Exactly 1 week later my protein-to-creatinine ratio increased by 285% and I had a high LDH value. After seeing my labs, my doctor said my organs were starting to not work properly. It was terrifying to have a completely healthy pregnancy, just to get diagnosed with preeclampsia in the last 2 weeks.

I got induced that same day, and luckily everything went smooth. Immediately after birth my blood pressure went back to normal and my swelling started to go down. It was the most terrifying thing going to get induced, not knowing if any complications would happen because of my preeclampsia. Luckily there were none, but it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever experienced."

Read more: https://preeclampsia.org/our-stories/sudden-preeclampsia-at-38-weeks

For today's we are sharing Giulianna's story with

Giulianna writes, "I had little education when it came to my first born in regard to preeclampsia. I apparently had protein in my urine during delivery with my son- signifying preeclampsia. Soon after delivery, my BP was still high and I was put on temporary medication. Although it leveled out, it scared the heck out of me. High blood pressure DOES run on my mothers' side of the family but this was a new reality check. Three years later, I had my beautiful daughter. Going into this pregnancy, I was automatically titled "high risk" due to my sons' journey. I hated that label. I saw it on every chart, every check-up, etc.

I was put in baby aspirin and low dose Labetalol for the majority of my pregnancy. Lots of routine blood work, urine samples, etc. Towards the final month, I had to go into the Dr.’s office 2X a week for fetal heart monitoring. I couldn't even wrap my head around how I’d go about this with my full time job and being a mom to a toddler. Week 36 came and I was feeling good. I went to have my checkup at the start of week 37 and my BP was 160s over/high 90s….. The nurse thought the cuff was off, but after multiple re-checks, she told me that I had to go to Triage and they'd most likely induce. While induction was always the plan, I didn't expect it to be through the emergency room as a gateway.... which made my anxiety and BP spike."

Read more: https://preeclampsia.org/our-stories/a-tale-of-2-births

Wow! $158,000+ raised from Promise Walks this year! Way over our goal. We couldn't have done it without our amazing Promise Walk Chairs and Committee members. Thank you!

Home - Preeclampsia Foundation Health Information, Preeclampsia, Pregnancy Induced Hypertension, HELLP syndrome, eclampsia, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy