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Honey!!
This IS revolutionary AND groundbreaking news in healthcare and for Black & Brown pregnant honeys to detect, prevent and fight the effects of preeclampsia which leads to maternal mortality.
The newly FDA approved test can identify with 96% accuracy which women/birthing people with sometimes-vague symptoms will develop preeclampsia within the following two weeks, The New York Times reports.
Pre-eclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy that presents with three main features: new onset of high blood pressure, large amounts of protein in urine or other organ dysfunction, and edema.
Signs and Symptoms
High blood pressure, at least twice within 7 days -- above 140/90, if your blood pressure was normal before pregnancy
Severe headaches
Sudden weight gain -- more than 2 to 5 pounds in a week
Swelling of hands and feet -- this often happens in a healthy pregnancy, so it is not necessarily a sign of preeclampsia
Blurred vision or sensitivity to light
High levels of protein in your urine
Pain in the upper right side of the abdomen
Vaginal bleeding
It is estimated to occur in 5 to 7 percent of all pregnancies in the US and 10 to 15 percent of maternal deaths worldwide are caused by preeclampsia and associated complications, such as eclampsia. It is one of the leading causes of maternal morbidity.
It is one of the leading causes of maternal deaths worldwide, with Black women three-to-four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes in addition to racism, implicit bias and inadequate healthcare than white women, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
I personally suffered from preeclampsia with my first pregnancy with elevated pressure around 36 weeks and it rising to 180/120 at 37 weeks. I was in the hospital for five days trying to deliver my babee. After several failed inductions, I delivered by CSection almost a week later.
There is huge stereotype that pregnant people affected with preeclampsia have health issues and are living unhealthy lifestyles which is simply not true for most cases. Preeclampsia can affect the healthiest of pregnant people too.
It is believed that preeclampsia played a huge role in the death of Olympic sprinter Tori Bowles, who was found dead in her home at 32 weeks. Allyson Felix and Tianna Bartoletta, Black women who were Bowie’s teammates, also were diagnosed with preeclampsia while pregnant. (US NEWS)
Pre-eclampsia can often be managed with oral or IV medications until the babee is sufficiently mature to be delivered. This often requires weighing the risks of early delivery versus the risks of continued pre-eclampsia symptoms.
Some treatment options can include:
Magnesium sulfate or hydralazine, to reduce your blood pressure
Calcium gluconate, if your blood pressure falls too low
Furosemide, to help you urinate more
Corticosteroids, for women at 22 to 34 weeks gestation, to help fetal lung development prior to birth
Preeclampsia also has an indirect effect of the initiation of breastfeeding such as medication received during delivery that cause edema and have an effect of the alertness of your babee at delivery and preterm birth which would make it harder for your babee to latch but not impossible with skilled lactation support.
Preeclampsia can turn into postpartum preeclampsia as well potentially having a lifetime effect in your health. Most cases of postpartum preeclampsia develop within 48 hours of childbirth. But, postpartum preeclampsia sometimes develops up to six weeks or later after childbirth. This is known as late postpartum preeclampsia.
Treatment options:
Holistically mange your diet with fresh fruits and vegetables, hydration and exercise. Reducing stress levels helps to. High blood pressure can also begin with inflammation so gut health is important as well too. Hydration contributes to organ failure so water is great but electrolytes is key ina cellular level for full hydration. Water with Celtic or Oink Himalayan Sea salt with citrus fruit limes preferably can provide the proper hydration needed. Read more about gut health and preeclampsia here.
If you have a mild case of preeclampsia, your doctor may recommend bed rest. You should lie on your left side, so the weight of the baby will not press against important blood vessels. Drink a lot of water to help you urinate and get rid of excess fluids.
Your doctor may want to monitor your blood pressure and urine every couple of days. The goal is to manage your symptoms until at least 36 weeks in your pregnancy, when the baby may be safely delivered.
If you have severe preeclampsia, it may not be possible to wait that long. Your doctor may admit you to the hospital, where you will receive drugs to induce labor, or have a Cesarean section (C-section).Postpartum preeclampsia requires prompt treatment. Left untreated, postpartum preeclampsia can cause seizures and other serious complications and possibly death.
To learn more about this newly approved test read here.
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