Are these signs of pre-eclampsia?

[sickandsleepy]

Hi guys, wonder if anyone has any wisdom for me.

I have been a high risk pregnancy due to raised BMI and also that my mother had pre-eclampsia with all of us children, as a result I was on 150mg Aspirin until 36 weeks when they said to stop.

I'm a little worried about a couple of symptoms I have...

• First off is my feet which have swollen up suddenly in the past couple of days, I have a desk job so it's not to do with being on my feet all day, my hands have swollen a little as well but nothing like my feet.
• On my badger notes it says protein+ on a couple of my urine samples but the midwife has never mentioned anything about it
• My blood pressure has risen, on the 1st May it was 140/65, I took it today and it is 138/91, which is high for me but could also be normal?

I'm worried that these are 3 signs that pre-eclampsia could be lurking, but the dots aren't being added up. Sorry about the feet pics... just wanted to show marked swelling. These shoes are usually a little loose.

I don't want to waste anyone's time but don't know what to do!

You do know what to do, you’ve seen symptoms that worry you and are seeking advice.

phone your midwife, they’ll be happy to see you. And I’ll be happier if you are seen.

i had similar at the end of my pregnancies and it was all fine, by the way, but don’t hang about, you know that isn’t smart.

They’ll take good care of you.

I would get it checked out, better safe than sorry! Call maternity triage and tell them what you said here.

At 36 weeks your feet do get swollen… my DD3 is 12 days old… my feet swelled up around 36 weeks and my ankles have only just reappeared in the last couple of days.

personally, I wouldn’t be too concerned about the symptoms you have as they are very much linked to late pregnancy. I’d be more worried if you had those symptoms plus a bad headache and swollen hands too!

Having said that, if you are concerned (which you are), definitely call your midwife. They would rather you were safe than sorry - it’s not worth being stressed about when they can either put your minds at ease or sort something out for you if there is an issue.

good luck with the upcoming birth :) xxx

Ring triage, they are there to help and advise.

Don't sit worrying.

Thanks all - I just don't want them to think I'm over reacting because all of this info is on my record but I feel like they're not piecing it together if you know what I mean?

My hands have swollen, I've taken a couple of my rings off, but I don't think as much as feet. I was actually at the hospital earlier and asked to speak to a midwife, but they said I had to call up which made me feel like it's nothing but i'll call them up I think.

Thanks all - I just don't want them to think I'm over reacting

Honestly they won't, I've been in for much smaller things. Best to get checked or atleast some reassurance

Glad you’re doing that. End of pregnancy is hard enough without peering at your toes and wondering if they are pudgier than they were an hour ago.

They’d rather see 100 worried well women than miss the one who’s actually got a problem.

Is this your first baby?

@stealtheatingtunnocks Thanks, i'm 37 weeks and had a polyhydramnios scare last week with very high fluid, at my fetal medicine scan this morning they've confirmed it's dropped into normal range... now this!

It is my first baby yes, exciting but scary

@sickandsleepy - definitely the right decision to get peace of mind :) and anyway, baby will be here soon and it’ll be someone else phoning up and asking for advice. You won’t be the first or last, so call them and don’t worry about what they think… they’ll just be pleased to help 🩷

I would recommend calling triage, these are all signs of pre-eclampsia (mild). I had a scare myself and had blood pressure of 140+/80+ and sudden swelling of feet, but midwife said ‘as long as you are not swollen in your hands or face then it is ok’. Also with the protein in the urine, these are all signs. Even if they are mild ones.

Best to be safe. Give them a call - I would.

I had my son 28 years ago at 36+5 weeks due to pre eclampsia, signs were swollen feet, high blood pressure for a few days before, they kept me in for a few hours each day monitoring me and were talking of a possible caesarean, but then I went into natural labour and had him, but I was very poorly throughout labour. I was kept in for a week after birth. My feet didn't go down to normal for 3 weeks after birth. Don't be afraid to get checked, you and your baby are important.

Don't be scared to phone and get checked out. I had pre-eclampsia and all of your symptoms plus rib pain, headaches and stars in my vision. But even then, the midwives never put 2 and 2 together. It wasn't until a routine check at 36 weeks my BP sky rocketed to 220/110 and I was induced the same day.

Better to be safe than sorry.

Thanks all, @Killerqueenie i think this is my main concern, I know the midwives are all professionals, I just can’t help but wonder if they’re all putting the dots together from the different departments I’m seeing. BP is staying raised through the day, so I don’t think the readings are a fluke.

That’s good, so you are, at a worse scene scenario, not facing a “oh shit, far too early” situation.

i asked about first baby because this stuff is how you learn to trust your gut. it seems to me you have plenty of instinct whuch is more than half of motherhood I think.

I had all these symptoms near the end of my first pregnancy, I had to be kept in overnight and monitored on two occasions. I was eventually induced although they never actually confirmed if it was pre-eclampsia.

I'm 5weeks post partum with DD2 and i had preeclampsia at the end of my pregnancy. From 36w, i had raised BP, swollen ankles and everyone kept telling me it was all borderline. But over the next few weeks, my BP raised to the point of needing to be medicated, i was having BP checks every 3 days and in 39w, protein showed up in my urine and i was officially diagnosed with PE. My experience was that as i didnt have a named midwife, noone was really joining all the dots. As it was, i went into labour the next day anyway! So yes, please ring and explicitly ask about PE - at the very least, it will mean someone has to give you a clear answer!

Ok so... two pregnancies that needed to be induced due to high bp but never got to pre eclampsia..

Check with your midwife. That's her job but swelling is normal by this point as is an increase in bp. You're more than likely fine but get checked, esp if you get headaches or blurred vision. Ate you being medicated for bp?

Definitely get checked, I had severe pre eclampsia (baby born at 32 weeks) and that was considered high for BO. My only other symptom was swelling, and the protein+ (which midwife didn't notice at routine check, it was only picked up when I went in for reduced movements). Always best to ring and check.

@ProjectKettle - I technically don't have a named midwife either which is why i'm considering they're not joining the dots...

My BP actually came down last night (130/87) so the second number still on the high side but not considered high.

Does anybody know if in hypertension/ pre-eclampsia the blood pressure stays elevated or can it fluctuate?

I had some protein in my urine and it was sent off for a PCR test and came back negative- the midwife thinks it’s because the wee was contaminated (with discharge probably). However she did say if I ever develop swelling to ring triage and say I’ve had previous protein in urine and they will see me straight away to test for pre-eclampsia just to be safe. They take pre-eclampsia extremely seriously so they will absolutely see you and test you! They will probably be relieved if the tests are negative and will absolutely not see you as a nuisance so don’t worry

@glasshalffull0 - thank you! Just thinking now my BP has come down will they be interested... i don't know if it can fluctuate with pre-eclampsia or if it just remains high 🤔

I'm sure it would fluctuate slightly but if you're testing at home then your machine might not be calibrated for pregnancy. I did check mine at home but always had a different number when being checked by midwives. When mine turned into severe pre-eclampsia my BP wasn't coming down even with medication and that's why I had to be induced straight away. I actually ended up in the high dependency unit as I became severely unwell and was borderline for eclampsia.

The scary thing was that when my BP was high (220/110) I didn't even know about it. Apart from the symptoms I had been suffering with for weeks, I wouldn't have known my BP was that high as I felt just the same as I always had. If I hadn't been checked that day, I dread to think what would have happened to me and my baby.

Have you been back in touch with midwife with your concerns?

@Killerqueenie - the midwife has said that because it's not my hands that are swollen they're not worried... I feel a bit fobbed off to be honest! The high BP, swollen feet and protien+ still stands, as well as being higher risk for pre-eclampsia as it is...

I would ring the triage phone line and talk it through with them. Better to be safe than sorry. Also my experience with the NHS is that you have to advocate for yourself. Everyone is busy and stretched and if you don't say 'I am worried about PE' others haven't read your notes and don't think of it.

@Ukholidaysaregreat - I think I will call back, I don't want to be a pest but I do know that you have to be sometimes to just have my mind put at ease