Feeling unsure about Pre-eclampsia diagnosis

[Orlahoping]

Currently at 35+5 weeks and in hospital for observation again to get my BP under control. I have no symptoms of pre-eclampsia and do not have protein in my urine. BP was probably pre-existing.

However, I got upgraded to pre-eclampsia today on account of my blood creatinine rising (to the very upper end of what can be normal in pregnancy).

Not sure if this definitively means Pre-E? Could there not be other reasons for high creatinine in my blood (like eating a lot of meat even?!).

I will of course listen to medical professionals but I am scared of accepting delivery at 37 weeks, which is the current recommendation.

Anyone have any experience?

They want what is best for you and baby - you want what is best for you and baby

It's not nice when things don't go as you expected and hoped but when you get a happy healthy baby at the end none of that matters

Pre eclampsia can escalate quickly so it’s good they’re keeping an eye on you. I would follow the medical advice. I developed pre eclampsia at 22 weeks and had an emergency section at 26 weeks to save myself and the baby. Your baby will be well developed at 37 weeks so don’t worry. If they suggest an early delivery they have weighed up the risks of that versus leaving your baby in situ. Wishing you and your LO well. X

Just try to relax and let them take care of you and baby.

I had a spike in blood pressure at 37 weeks after being borderline for most of the pregnancy and was deemed to have pre-eclampsia despite no protein in urine and everything else being normal. My blood pressure came right back down just from being in a quiet room in the hospital, no drugs needed, but it was decided that at that point she was safer out than in anyway.

DD was born a few days later and was absolutely fine. (She’s now 9 years old! And didn’t have any problems at all from being born a little early).

Good luck!

Thanks all. I know I am at a pretty safe gestation now, and do of course want what is best. Growth scan tomorrow to check placenta function, and will go from there.

Pre eclampsia is high blood pressure with protein in the urine and/or organ damage (change in bloods), and/or fetal problems (abnormal blood flows, poor growth). So if your creatinine is consistently rising, you probably do have pre eclampsia.

Either way, it's probably safer to assume you do unless proven otherwise?

Yeah, you're right of course. This whole pregnancy has been a white knuckle ride, and I am keen to get baby boy here safely regardless.

I just sometimes get caught up in wanting to know exactly what is happening medically and why, but I just need to trust those looking after me at this point.

Yes. My DD had this and it needs hospital observation. They might induce you early depending on how things go.

I had pre eclampsia diagnosed at 28 weeks. I had no symptoms just high bp and raised protein. They gave me twice weekly monitoring for the whole 3rd trimester. I made it to 39 weeks as with jigging about of bp medication managed to keep me under control. But I did have a massive spike in bp at 2 weeks pp so watch out for that. My lo is currently 9 weeks and I am still medicated on 2 bp meds and on monitoring through my gp.

I had high bp at 30 weeks, then by 32 weeks it was determined preeclampsia with the blood tests and bp and they said they wanted to get me to 37 weeks. By 34.5 weeks my blood results were quite bad apparently, plus bp and protein in my urine and they wanted to induce in the next few days. By 35+0 while still waiting to be induced we had both gone downhill. Well for me it was my kidneys and no longer being able to wee. For DS it was zero movements and a static line on the ctg instead of zigzag. I had him an hour after that by csection. So for us it changed very fast.

So it turns out that my creatinine level is now normal again, so I don't know what to think. That said, my BP is still varying widely between highish and 150/100+, which I guess is more significant than the creatinine level

That’s very high blood pressure OP. You don’t want to mess around with PE and the problem is the symptoms are often incredibly subtle, until they’re not. I had no symptoms except slightly elevated blood pressure (never any protein in urine) for several weeks, which my midwife wasn’t too concerned about, until one day at 35 weeks I realised my baby had been very quiet. I went in to be seen, my blood pressure was at the level your higher readings are, I still didn’t have any protein in my urine, they ran some blood tests which looked slightly odd but ok, my blood pressure wasn’t coming down so they kept me in, they ran some more blood tests a few hours later, they were dramatically worse, I became really ill and the baby was delivered straight away. If I hadn’t gone in that day and had those tests, it all could have been terrible. I also didn’t realise at all until after the birth how bad I’d been feeling. I suppose because it crept up on me I couldn’t really tell.

I know it’s scary but 37 weeks is a very good gestation. My baby didn’t need any nicu or special care time at 35, he was with me on the ward the whole time. This isn’t an instance where you need to worry about over intervention. I would really trust in their advice.

@Crossornot thank you. I understand how quickly things can change so will be having daily monitoring, and monitoring my BP at home.

Unfortunately I am now getting different advice from different consultants, but am going to err on the more cautious side and go in for induction next week, unless anything changes in the meantime!

I had no real symptoms until 36+2 and it developed into HELLP Syndrome within hours and I delivered the same day. It’s so quick. You’re lucky you’re being monitored, I promise. It all will be fine in the end :)