Preeclampsia is a condition that can occur during the second half of pregnancy in which the mother begins to suffer from high blood pressure as well as many other complications and symptoms which are associated only with the condition. The concept of pregnancy induced hypertension is not so much about the increase in blood pressure as it is common for a pregnant mother to have increased blood pressure levels during her term, but rather the specific symptoms that arise with the condition.

This pregnancy induced hypertension includes symptoms like the possibility of liver and kidney damage as well as the possibility of brain damage to both the mother and the gestating fetus. The condition generally develops between weeks 20 and 32 of the gestation period and a mother who has been diagnosed with chronic hypertension during her first prenatal check up has an increased chance of incurring preeclampsia later on during the pregnancy.

Pregnancy induced hypertension is associated with a number of symptoms which can include headaches, protein in the urine as well as the possibility of suffering a stroke. Most of these symptoms are made worse by the simple fact that both the mother and the fetus can suffer them. While the condition is considered to be asymptomatic, it is very dangerous and can even be fatal for the gestating fetus. Furthermore, the pregnant mother may also suffer from lower abdominal pains which may mimic those of heart burn but in fact may originate from the liver and/or kidneys.

The condition can occur in roughly 10% of all pregnancies world wide and usually the symptoms start to arise right after the 32nd week of pregnancy. Furthermore, it has been shown to be more common in women who are experiencing their first pregnancy with the number dropping exponentially through future pregnancies. There has also been sufficient evidence which shows that older pregnant mothers are more at risk of developing pregnancy induced hypertension than the younger mothers.

Unfortunately, there is only two forms of treatment for pregnancy induced hypertension. One good and one bad option! The first is the mother will have to have the fetus aborted especially in cases where the preeclmapsia has graduated into an advanced eclampsia and the time left before a safe induced pregnancy can be performed is too great. On the other hand, if the condition is still fairly mild and only a few weeks are left until the expected due date, the doctor will induce the pregnancy. These are currently the only treatments currently available for those who are suffering from pregnancy induced hypertension due to the fact that an actual cause has yet to be determined sufficiently enough to allow for a more focused treatment option. Furthermore, if the fetus is not born or aborted, the chances that not only the fetus can die, but also the mother increases daily.

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