Critical urgency
-Very severe
It is the onset of seizures or coma in a pregnant woman who has usually been diagnosed with pre-eclampsia (hypertension and loss of protein in urine).
The cause is unknown but there is an inherited tendency and is more common in women under 20 or over 35, black women and women giving birth for the first time.
It is a life-threatening emergency for the woman and the fetus. Therefore, it is vital to go to a hospital with an obstetrics department immediately. The birth of the fetus is the treatment of choice (including urgent cesarean section) and in the meantime, the seizures and hypertension should be controlled with drugs.
- Errol R Norwitz, MD, PhD, MBA. Eclampsia. UpToDate. Aug 09, 2016.
- Berhan Y, Berhan A. Should magnesium sulfate be administered to women with mild pre-eclampsia? A systematic review of published reports on eclampsia. J Obstet Gynaecol Res 2015; 41:831.
- Sibai BM. Diagnosis, prevention, and management of eclampsia. Obstet Gynecol 2005; 105:402.
- Mayama M, Uno K, Tano S, et al. Incidence of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in eclamptic and patients with preeclampsia with neurologic symptoms. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2016; 215:239.e1.
- Barbieri RL, Repke JT. Trastornos médicos durante el embarazo. Harrison. Principios de Medicina Interna. Volumen 1. 19º Edición: 49
Dr. Sara Vitoria
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