Preeclampsia is a complication unique to pregnancy that can occur during pregnancy or, more rarely, the postpartum period. Recognizing it early is essential as it can rapidly progress, placing both lives at risk. The most prominent signs include high blood pressure (gestational hypertension) and protein in the urine. 

The majority of people experiencing preeclampsia recover fully with no further problems, but for some, it can have a lasting impact on long-term cardiovascular health. Awareness about a person’s health history and developing symptoms is vital so doctors can take action early on.

“Preeclampsia is a fairly common complication of pregnancy,” says maternal-fetal medicine and high-risk OB-GYN Rebecca Rimsza, MD. “While we don’t know exactly what causes it, we know that the body goes through incredible stress during pregnancy. Preeclampsia represents an additional layer of cardiovascular stress with high blood pressure, which can affect all your organ systems, including your kidneys, brain, liver and heart. Even if you recover from preeclampsia, there is a risk that the associated high blood pressure can impact you for the rest of your life.”

The risk for developing preeclampsia is increased for high-risk pregnancies, especially if you’ve already had kidney problems, autoimmune or cardiovascular disease, have a high body mass index (BMI), have pre-gestational diabetes, uncontrolled high blood pressure or diabetes, or have experienced preeclampsia before. Read more about the reasons for a high-risk pregnancy.

Although preeclampsia can happen after birth, it is most likely to occur close to delivery, with the risk reducing the farther you are from delivery. By definition, preeclampsia cannot happen more than six weeks after delivery. 

The risks of preeclampsia to long-term health

Preeclampsia has the potential to:

• Double the risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart disease, diabetes and stroke.
• Quadruple the risk of high blood pressure.
• Increase the risk of short-term or long-term kidney issues.
• Increase the risk of metabolic syndrome.
• Increase the risk for recurrence by 25% to 30% in later pregnancies.

Preeclampsia symptoms and what happens when it is discovered

Preeclampsia most often manifests with high blood pressure and protein in the urine. Some experience severe headaches, dark spots in their vision, new right-side abdominal pain, fluid buildup in the lungs (as with pulmonary edema) and kidney or liver problems.

Doctors will want to test for the severity of your preeclampsia and create a delivery plan. “If it’s very early on, we will keep people in the hospital to monitor them closely and plan for a preterm delivery,” says Dr. Rimsza. “If it’s close to your due date or near term, we will often deliver immediately or very soon, then monitor while you’re in the hospital afterwards. If a person is at high risk for preeclampsia or has had it before, we consider using aspirin therapy to help decrease their risk of recurrence.”

Decreasing the risk: Optimize your health before pregnancy

If you’ve experienced preeclampsia before, see your doctor annually to monitor your overall health and screen for potential developing conditions. Make sure they know about your previous preeclampsia history. 

If you’re planning a pregnancy in the future, help lower your risk of preeclampsia by focusing on lifestyle changes you can control. Reduce your risk by prioritizing heart-healthy habits to encourage a healthy journey for both mother and baby:

• Work with your doctor to monitor and treat current health conditions.
• Stay physically active and eat a heart-healthy diet.
• Maintain or lose excess weight.
• Stop smoking.
• Maintain healthy blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
• Talk with your doctor about your health and family history.