Preeclampsia (PE) is a potentially life-threatening hypertensive disorder that occurs during pregnancy and postpartum. (1) It is a dangerous complication characterized by high blood pressure and proteinuria (elevated levels of protein in the urine) after 20 weeks of gestation (2).
This disorder can be categorized as early onset (starting before the 34th week of pregnancy) and late onset (after 34th week of pregnancy) or severe and mild, depending on the severity of symptoms. Common symptoms include gestational hypertension, HELLP syndrome, and eclampsia. The disorder is characterized by a rapid rise in blood pressure that can lead to seizure, stroke, multiple organ failure, and even death of the mother and/or baby (3).
In India, the incidence of preeclampsia is reported to be 8-10% among the pregnant women. The disease develops with the placenta, and post progression it usually manifests after 20 weeks of gestation. In some cases, it even presents itself as late as 4-6 weeks postpartum. Preeclampsia is more common among women who have histories of certain health conditions, such as diabetes, urinary tract infections, migraine headaches, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, periodontal diseases (gum disease), polycystic ovary syndrome, multiple sclerosis, gestational diabetes, and sickle cell disease (4).
Preeclampsia is usually detected only after the symptoms set in. At this stage the damage to mother and child is already done. As this disorder has severe repercussions on the health of the mother and baby, there is an urgent need for early diagnosis of this disorder, before the symptoms set in. This will help the clinicians to identify high-risk women and will allow intensive antenatal surveillance and subsequent prophylactic interventions for healthier pregnancies.
