Preeclampsia and what to do

[Happitwist]

Hey all

I am 38 weeks pregnant and today I was told I have pre eclampsia and was given medication to lower my blood pressure.

My blood pressure last week was 140/100 going down to 110/75 a few days later, with +protein on day 1 going down to trace protein with the lower blood pressure. My bloods also came back 'borderline' but fine. Heard nothing more.

Then today at my MW appointment, blood pressure back up to 140/90, and +protein. Bloods sent off again but a doctor came in and told me I have pre eclampsia. Bloods not yet back.

So now I am on medication to lower blood pressure, will get a scan soon and need to be back for monitoring in a few days time. I was also told they want to induce me next week. Baby seems totally oblivious and fine.

What I am now stuck on is what should I do next? I don't know whether to go to be induced or to have an elcs, or even to wait until I go into spontaneous labour with continuous monitoring. I wasn't told how serious my pre eclampsia is, but I have been sent home for a few days so I guess they aren't too worried?

I was hoping people could share their stories of what they did when diagnosed with pre eclampsia late in pregnancy. I am really struggling to make a decision.

On the one hand I know some people who had relaxing, easy and fabulous elcs with quick recoveries, but the doctor warned me of heavy bleeding and a 1 in 70 hysterectomy chance (I can't find the stats on this anywhere and as far as I know I have no blood clotting problem!). I don't know if the stats are a mix of emcs and elcs together??

On the other hand inductions are supposed to be safer and I have been told high blood pressure labours tend to go quickly, but it could take days, be excruciating, and end in an emcs anyway if your body just isn't ready which renders the initial decision is a little pointless! My cervix was too high up and shut to allow a sweep today so my body is having none of it so far.

I had pre-eclampsia at 39 weeks which was picked up during one of my routine midwife appointments, then she sent me to hospital. I can’t remember what my blood pressure was, it was high for me but not worryingly high, but I had +++protein in my urine and my reflexes had gone all funny. I was also really swollen and wasn’t weeing hardly at all, my body was just retaining the water. They did blood tests and I don’t know what they showed exactly but the consultant came back and told me I was going straight to the labour ward to be induced. Luckily I was slightly dilated so they broke my waters. It was a fairly fast labour and DS arrived 8 hours after induction. I remember the consultant telling me that ladies with pre-eclampsia tend to labour quickly. I did lose some blood and had to have blood transfusions afterwards which wasn’t pleasant, but I was already very anaemic when I was admitted to hospital. Apparently pre-clampsia and anaemia are linked so it might be worth getting your iron levels checked if you haven’t already. Mine were perfect at 28 weeks but nosedived somewhere along the way.

It’s good that they are keeping an eye on you. If the protein increases in your urine or if your blood pressure rises they will probably offer to induce you even quicker to be on the safe side.

Personally I was glad that I was induced rather than a c section because although I lost some blood they said I would have certainly lost more if I’d had a c section. And then a potentially more difficult recovery. However, it was easy for me to make that decision because they broke my waters easily so my body was ready for labour, it made it quick in that respect. Do what you need to do that feels the safest for you and baby and don’t be afraid to ask for more information when you next see the midwife x

I was induced at 37 weeks due to this, my blood pressure was 155/100 at a routine midwife appt and she sent me straight to the hospital to get checked. The doctor told me the safest thing to do for me and baby was to be induced and for me it was a good decision. My whole labour lasted 6 hours and they gave me an epidural as soon as they could as that lowers blood pressure. The worst part about the whole thing was staying in hospital for 5 days following the birth as they had to find the right dose of medication before they would allow me to leave. They also gave me blood thinning injections to take home with me (not fun!) As my baby had slowed down in growth on the scans due to the high blood pressure I was happy with the decision to be induced, my baby was only 5 pound but she is here safety.

Thank you for your stories! I didn't know preeclampsia could be linked to bleeding and low iron. It makes induction a far more attractive decision.

Unfortunately I have woken up this morning, first day on the medication, with a swollen face so I have a feeling I may be making this decision earlier than I thought. :(

Ahh yes one of the warning signs of it progressing worse is facial swelling :( now that you’re 38 weeks it’s safe for baby to come now. If they think you’re really unwell I would have thought they will offer you a c section in case the induction process was a lengthy one. They said to me that I would have been admitted but offered a c section the following day if they hadn’t have been able to break my waters. Good luck and let us know how you get on.

I was diagnosed with preeclampsia at 35 weeks, they wanted to keep me going as long as possible. I was due to have an elcs due to a problem caused by a previous birth as a preventive measure but once they found I had preeclampsia they changed to say they wanted my to be induced instead. I managed around 8/9 days before it became uncontrollable and I ended up having an emergency section at 36+3. On the day she was born, my BP was 210/138, they said they didn't know how I wasn't in a coma. She was born a healthy 4lb 1oz. My advice is just to let them keep an eye on you and follow their advice.
My induced birth was far far easier to recover from but then I was very poorly after my section so hard to compare.

Diagnosed with preeclampsia at 38weeks (first pregnancy). Swollen ankles & fingers and protein in urine. Quick sweep and induced at 39 weeks (next checkup) and had a 3 hour labour as I hadn't realised I'd been in early labour for a couple of days. Once DS delivered my kidney function kicked back in and I wee'd like a horse for 48 hours getting rid of the excess fluid! Was kept on BP meds for 48 hrs. DS fine and bonny.

Blood pressure has gone down due to meds so I am back at home, just with a bigger face!

Really thankful for the stories so far, I am making my peace with an induction over an elcs as it seems like the safest and it is nice to know it isn't always a long, drawn out process!

At my last sweep I wasn't ready at all for labour so I have got some dates in a small attempt to get me there, hoping this helps the induction work.

My induction labour took 6 hours in total, I think when you have high blood pressure the doctors like it to all happen as quickly as possible. My blood pressure wouldn't stabilise after the birth so I had to spend 5 days in hospital, I found the constant monitoring worse than the labour to be honest!

My DD had pre-eclampsia but it was not properly diagnosed - the MW took her BP at home and said the machine must be faulty as it could not be that high! Went away and did nothing! - failed to notice that she looked like a michelin man and there was a rapidly spreading rash all over her. Grrrr! She finished up with an emergency C section.

My husband, a GP, was horrified when he saw her!

I am glad that they are keeping a proper eye on you.

By the way, her next two pregnancies went fine - no problems.

Hello, I was also diagnosed with preeclampsia at 38+5 weeks. High BP and swelling and Urine+. I was induced at 39 weeks. After 30 hours my waters were broken but a full two days later I still hadn't progressed much and had got an infection from all the prodding! I was sent for emergency c section on day 3. I did lose a bit more than the average blood loss but it was never pointed out to be related to the preeclampsia.

Pre-eclampsia diagnosed a bit earlier than you at 36 weeks in both my pregnancies (high BP ~34 weeks), but as a result I've had two 37 week inductions.

First one went fine. Gels, ARM, drip, vaginal birth of baby. Whole thing took ~32 hours of which actual labour (aka when the drip finally forced contractions out of me) was 11 hours.

Second was an emergency C-section, but I cannot stress enough that the induction had nothing to do with it. Baby was stuck, and the same would have happened even if I'd laboured naturally. The induction itself was lovely. A few days to get to the delivery suite (baby boom!), but once I was there and on the drip it was actually a good labour.

Best of luck with your induction!

My first was induced at 37 weeks and my second was a section at 37 weeks. I can’t believe they’re sending you home though with those symptoms! I had a few very mild symptoms and wasn’t allowed to leave the hospital both time until the baby was out.

Oh wow I didn't pick that up OP was home. I'm though it's right there in black and green.... I blame the baby. Bad baby! I had super mild pre-eclampsia symptoms as well, and stayed (and heavily encouraged to stay) in hospital from 36 weeks both times.

@Happitwist If you are unhappy at all about the plan, or your symptoms worsen in any way, or you gain some new ones, get down to the hospital ASAP.

I think I am home because they keep telling me I am only just 'borderline' whatever that means! They checked my bloods from yesterday with a doctor who said to send me home.

I went in, baby was fine (as always thankfully), my BP was 126/89 so lower, they didn't mention protein this time so not sure about that. I bought myself a home BP kit right after to help monitor myself a bit more.

I have had crazy swelling in my legs, feet and hands for over a month but BP has always been high normal and no protein until last week where it just jumped. My legs are essentially tree trunks now!

I have to trust they know what they are doing otherwise I would worry myself sick.

I am due back on Thursday for more monitoring where things will be fully decided. I am also due to get a call about a scan, still waiting on that though.

The moment anything changes I will call them, not risking a thing my end!

As an update, I have been in hospital for 3 days, had one pessary that did next to nothing - cervix still closed! It also dislodged at some point. Utterly exhausted from lack of sleep - why are induction wards next door to postnatal, it's just cruel!!

Now I am waiting around for a labour room to become available so they can try pessary two...

Did anyone fail the first pessary but get started with the second? Feeling very disheartened.

In my experience pessarys very rarely work! They will try it again a be if it doesn’t do anything they will start you on the hormonal drip to get things going.

I was induced in the same situation, and for what it's worth if I could go back I would insist on an elective C if that's being given as an option.

Oh that's rotten. IMO it's crazy to have antenatal and postnatal together. And you're there in this heat too! Hope you're able to stay cool, and the next pessary stays in place to do its job. I imagine the first one dislodging meant it never had the chance to get anything done. I had gel pessaries (which only got me to the ARM stage, but no further), but my sister needed a second pessary for her induction for post dates. The second one worked like a charm, and sent her into labour.

Everything crossed for you. Hopefully it won't be too much longer before your baby is keeping the antenatal ladies awake.

Thank you everyone!

As an update, second pessary in last night and it feels so sore. No cramps or anything, just like my fanjo has been sandpapered. Wonder if it has dislodged again, might ask for what I expect will be a very painful examination :(. I normally am pretty good at riding these things out but this is next level soreness!

On the bright side I have been discussing my options with the consultant. After today, if nothing has moved along, I will be given a reprieve over night and in the morning I can choose the prostin tablet or a c section. So fingers crossed, either way, baby could make his entrance on Thursday!

Had the examination, they had to use numbing gel and it was still excruciating. As someone who has never been bothered by any internals it was frustrating. Turns out it had dislodged was basically about to pop out and had hugely irritated everything. Wasted 12 hours :(

BUT! I persevered through the pain and she managed to get it back in so I have the next 12 hrs at least. I also have lots of ice on its way.

So, that is two dislodged pessaries for me... No wonder they aren't working!!

Ah bless you, don't be afraid to speak up for yourself if you feel something isn't right, don't be fobbed off. Weird that we know our own bodies isn't it?!
Hope it goes well for you 💐

Oh no! Hopefully this one will STAY. PUT! (I'm shouting so it will hear me. 😝) Here's to a restful day if there's not a baby by the end of it.

Hi @Happitwist
I was diagnosed with preeclampsia at 39+5.
Bloody pressure was through the roof and they wanted baby out.
I had 2 x failed inductions (balloon and hormone gel) so they decided that a c section was best.
I felt so much better after baby was out, recovery was painful, but you can imagine any big surgery like that will be painful. I was also kind of relieved I had a c section as I was so wiped out from the preeclampsia and had no idea where I would get the energy to go through labour.
I was also put on a magnesium drip to stop the risk of fitting and had a catheter fitted to monitor my water. Not sure how bad your preeclampsia is so don’t want to scare you haha.
Best of luck! Brace yourself as midwives trying to break your water can be uncomfortable.
xx