Preeclampsia is a serious medical conditionthat can occur about midway through pregnancy (after 20 weeks). People with preeclampsia experience high blood pressure, protein in their urine, swelling, headaches and blurred vision. This condition needs to be treated by a healthcare provider. It typically goes away after the baby is delivered.
Women with preeclampsia develop high blood pressure (higher than 140/90) which puts stress on heart and other organs and can cause serious complications. It can also affect blood supply to placenta and impair liver and kidney functions. In the United States, preeclampsia is the cause of about 15% of premature deliveries.
There is no cure for preeclampsia and when preeclampsia develops earlier in pregnancy, it must be monitored closely in an effort to prolong the pregnancy and allow for the fetus to grow and develop. This includes ultrasounds, urine tests and blood draws and monitoring the blood pressure and glucose levels.
Women with symptoms of preeclampsia can be given a kit containing a blood pressure monitor, glucose meter and weight scale to monitor these vitals in the comfort of their home. These vitals are monitored by a clinical staff and automated alerts are triggered in case of elevated values to trigger interventions to avoid significant complications during pregnancy and higher chance of carrying the fetus to full term.
