Preeclampsia After Delivery

Preeclampsia after delivery of the baby (also known as postpartum preeclampsia) is a condition in which preeclampsia symptoms continue after birth. Symptoms of preeclampsia after delivery may appear up to six weeks after the baby's birth and include high blood pressure, headache, and vision problems. Treating preeclampsia after delivery may involve steroids, blood transfusion, or surgery.

Preeclampsia Info

Preeclampsia After Delivery: An Overview

For the majority of women who develop preeclampsia during pregnancy, the preeclampsia cure is delivery of the baby. In 1 to 2 days, preeclampsia symptoms usually fade. Infrequently, symptoms of preeclampsia continue after the baby is delivered. This is known as postpartum preeclampsia. It is also possible for a woman who did not have preeclampsia during pregnancy to develop preeclampsia after delivery. In this case, studies have shown that symptoms can begin up to 6 weeks after the delivery of the baby.

Symptoms of Preeclampsia After Delivery

Women who develop preeclampsia after delivery may experience symptoms such as:

Headache
Decrease in the amount of urine produced
High blood pressure
Vision problems (such as seeing spots, blurred vision, or sensitivity to light)
A low amount of blood-clotting cells (known as platelets).

Preeclampsia after delivery may result in more severe symptoms, including:

Multiple organ failure
Blood-clotting problems
Infections

Treating Preeclampsia After Delivery

If a woman develops preeclampsia after delivery, treatment will depend on the severity of the symptoms.

Some treatment options may include:

Steroids
Blood pressure medicine
Blood transfusion
Anti-seizure medications
Surgery.