Early planned delivery reduces impact of preterm pre-eclampsia
Doctors have long debated over the optimal time to deliver mothers with pre-eclampsia in late pregnancy (after 34 but before 37 completed weeks). This is because too early delivery compromises the baby’s health, while delayed action may endanger the mother’s health.
A new study by King's College London researchers shows that planning an early delivery does cut the chances of complications due to high blood pressure in such pregnancies. The research is published in The Lancet and funded by National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).
Pre-eclampsia is a unique rise of blood pressure related to pregnancy, which has implications for many organs. While one in ten pregnant women develops high blood pressure, only about 3% actually have pre-eclampsia, which is marked by damage to multiple organs. In the UK it affects about 40,000 women a year, and takes the lives of 100 women around the world each day.
Pre-eclampsia is caused by alterations in the function of both the placenta and the maternal blood vessels. It carries a high risk of complications for both the mother and the baby. These include stroke, liver damage, kidney injury, or death, in the women, while the baby is at risk of fetal growth restriction and death.
No comments:
Post a Comment