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Content Map Terms
Pregnancy & Parenting Categories
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Planning Your Pregnancy
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Fertility
- Ovulation and Fertility Pregnancy Planning
- Ovulation and Transport of Egg
- Find Your Ovulation Day
- Infertility: Problems With Ovulation
- Ovulation
- Superovulation
- Interactive Tool: When are you most fertile?
- Infertility
- Infertility: Emotional and Social Concerns
- Pregnancy after Age 35
- Infertility: Ethical and Legal Concerns
- Infertility: Factors That Affect Treatment Success
- Infertility: Setting Limits on Testing
- Infertility: Problems With the Man's Reproductive System
- Infertility: Problems With Fallopian Tubes
- Infertility: Problems With the Uterus and Cervix
- Cancer Treatment and Infertility
- Fertility Problems: Should I Be Tested?
- Infertility Tests
- Fertility Drugs
- Fertility Problems
- Fertility Problems: Should I Have a Tubal Procedure or In Vitro Fertilization?
- Insemination for Infertility
- Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection for Infertility
- Infertility Treatment for Women With PCOS
- In Vitro Fertilization for Infertility
- Infertility: Setting Limits on Treatment
- Infertility: Questions to Ask About Medicine or Hormone Treatment
- Infertility: Questions to Ask About Assisted Reproductive Technology
- Infertility: Should I Have Treatment?
- Insemination Procedures for Infertility
- Gamete and Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer for Infertility
- Varicocele Repair for Infertility
- Fallopian Tube Procedures for Infertility
- Follicle-Stimulating Hormone
- Luteinizing Hormone
- Progesterone
- Sperm Penetration Tests
- Infertility Concerns When Planning a Pregnancy
- Planning a Pregnancy After 35
- Pregnancy Issues for Women Over Age 35
- Basal Body Temperature (BBT) Charting
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Your Health When Planning to Become Pregnant
- Health Care for Pregnancy Planning
- Physical Activity When Planning a Pregnancy
- Smoking When You are Planning a Pregnancy
- Alcohol and Pregnancy Planning
- Preparing for a Healthy Pregnancy
- Diabetes: Planning for a Healthy Pregnancy
- Diabetes: Preparing for Pregnancy
- Pregnancy and Diabetes: Planning for Pregnancy
- Diabetes: Preparing for Pregnancy
- Video About Planning a Pregnancy
- Planning the Timing of Your Next Pregnancy
- Ending a Pregnancy
- Adoption
- Planning for Maternity and Parental Leave
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Fertility
-
Pregnancy
- Healthcare Providers During Pregnancy
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Your Health During Pregnancy
- Dental Care During Pregnancy
- Healthy Sex During Pregnancy
- Posture and Back Care During Pregnancy
- Shortness of Breath During Pregnancy
- Using Prescription and Over-the-Counter Medications During Pregnancy
- Immunizations and Pregnancy
- Quick Tips: Healthy Pregnancy Habits
- Massage Therapy during Pregnancy
- Sex During Pregnancy
- Leg Cramps During Pregnancy
- Medicines During Pregnancy
- Swelling During Pregnancy
- Electronic Fetal Heart Monitoring
- Getting Help for Perinatal Depression
- Depression: Should I Take Antidepressants While I'm Pregnant?
- Pregnancy: Dealing With Morning Sickness
- Back Pain During Pregnancy
- Bedrest for Preterm Labour
- Abnormal Pap Test While Pregnant
- Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy
- Acupressure for Morning Sickness
- Automated Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring
- Pregnancy After Bariatric Surgery
- Braxton Hicks Contractions
- Caffeine During Pregnancy
- Dental Care During Pregnancy
- Exercise During Pregnancy
- Fatigue During Pregnancy
- Fever During Pregnancy
- Pregnancy: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Pregnancy: Changes in Bowel Habits
- Pregnancy: Healthy Weight Gain
- Pregnancy: Hemorrhoids and Constipation
- Pregnancy: Hot Tub and Sauna Use
- Pregnancy: Pelvic and Hip Pain
- Pregnancy: Ways to Find Your Due Date
- Estrogens
- External Cephalic Version (Version) for Breech Position
- Symptoms of Pregnancy
- Sexually Transmitted Infections During Pregnancy
- Pre-Eclampsia: Checkups and Monitoring
- Pre-Eclampsia: Expectant Management
- Gestational Diabetes
- Insulin Injection Areas for Gestational Diabetes
- Gestational Diabetes: Checking Your Blood Sugar
- Gestational Diabetes: Counting Carbs
- Gestational Diabetes: Dealing With Low Blood Sugar
- Gestational Diabetes: Giving Yourself Insulin Shots
- Ginger for Morning Sickness
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) During Pregnancy
- Nausea or Vomiting During Pregnancy
- Urinary Problems During Pregnancy
- Health Conditions and Pregnancy
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Body Changes During Pregnancy
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy: Varicose Veins
- Pregnancy: Hand Changes
- Sleep Problems During Pregnancy
- Emotional Changes During Pregnancy
- Breast Changes During Pregnancy
- Pregnancy: Hair Changes
- Pregnancy: Belly, Pelvic and Back Pain
- Pregnancy: Stretch Marks, Itching, and Skin Changes
- Pregnancy: Changes in Feet and Ankles
- Pregnancy: Vaginal Discharge and Leaking Fluid
- Interactive Tool: From Embryo to Baby in 9 Months
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Your First Trimester
- Check-ups and Tests In the First Trimester
- Embryo and Fetal Development In the First Trimester
- Medical Care During the First Trimester
- Your First Trimester - Video
- Mothers' Physical Changes in the First Trimester
- Normal Pregnancy: First Trimester
- Week 8 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside
- Fetal development at 8 weeks of pregnancy
- Week 12 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside
- Fetal development at 12 weeks of pregnancy
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Your Second Trimester
- Babies Development During the Second Trimester
- Mothers' Physical Changes During the Second Trimester
- Check-ups and Tests in the Second Trimester
- Getting Ultrasounds During Pregnancy
- Video About Your Second Trimester
- Normal Pregnancy: Second Trimester
- Week 16 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside /
- Fetal development at 16 weeks of pregnancy
- Week 20 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside
- Fetal development at 20 weeks of pregnancy
- Week 24 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside /
- Fetal development at 24 weeks of pregnancy
- Pregnancy: Kick Counts
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Your Third Trimester
- Check-ups and Tests in the Third Trimester
- Fetal Development in the Third Trimester
- Mothers' Physical Changes in the Third Trimester
- Prenatal Classes in the Third Trimester
- Video about Your Third Trimester
- Personal Support When You're Giving Birth
- Writing Your Birth Plan or Wishes
- Normal Pregnancy: Third Trimester
- Week 28 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside
- Fetal development at 28 weeks of pregnancy
- Week 32 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside
- Fetal development at 32 weeks of pregnancy
- Week 36 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside
- Fetal development at 36 weeks of pregnancy
- Week 40 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside
- Fetal development at 40 weeks of pregnancy
- Pregnancy: Dropping (Lightening)
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Risks and Complications During Pregnancy
- High-risk Pregnancy
- Rh Sensitization during Pregnancy
- Post-Term Pregnancy
- Abnormal Vaginal Bleeding
- Intrauterine Fetal Blood Transfusion for Rh Disease
- Miscarriage
- Special Concerns During Pregnancy
- Abruptio Placenta
- Anemia During Pregnancy
- Antiphospholipid Syndrome and Pregnancy /
- Asthma During Pregnancy
- Bedrest in Pregnancy
- Eclampsia (Seizures) and Pre-Eclampsia
- Ectopic Pregnancy
- Endometriosis
- Functional Ovarian Cysts /
- High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
- Laparoscopic Ovarian Drilling for PCOS
- Low Amniotic Fluid
- Low-Lying Placenta
- Miscarriage: Should I Have Treatment to Complete a Miscarriage?
- Molar Pregnancy
- Passing Tissue During Pregnancy
- Placenta Previa
- Polyhydramnios
- Pre-Eclampsia
- RH Factor Pregnancy
- Special Health Concerns During Pregnancy
- Subchorionic Hemorrhage
- Toxoplasmosis During Pregnancy
- Vaginal Bleeding During Pregnancy
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Healthy Eating and Physical Activity
- Dealing with Cravings During Pregnancy
- Dietary Sources of Essential Nutrients During Pregnancy
- Exercising Safely During a Pregnancy
- Healthy Eating Guidelines for Food Safety During Pregnancy
- Healthy Eating Guidelines for Pregnancy
- Healthy Physical Activity During Pregnancy
- Healthy Vegetarian Eating During Pregnancy
- Nutrition During Pregnancy
- Pregnancy: Vegetarian Diet
- Emotional Health and Support During Pregnancy
- Safety During Pregnancy
- Alcohol and Other Drug Use During Pregnancy
- Twins and Other Multiples
- Preparing for Your Newborn
- Interactive Tool: What Is Your Due Date?
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Labour and Birth
- Labour and Delivery
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Planning Your Delivery
- Childbirth Classes
- Childbirth Planning: How to Partner With Your Doctor
- Childbirth: Labouring in Water and Water Delivery /
- Childbirth: Perineal Massage Before Labour
- Choosing Where to Give Birth Hospital or Home
- Doulas and Support During Childbirth
- Including a Doula in Your Birth Experience
- Labour Partners to Support Mothers
- Packing for Birth at a Hospital
- Pregnancy: Deciding Where to Deliver
- Vaginal Birth After Caesarean (VBAC)
- Vaginal Birth After Caesarean
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Stages of Labour
- Cervical Cerclage to Prevent Preterm Delivery
- First Stage of Labour - Early Phase
- First Stage of Labour Active Phase
- First Stage of Labour Transition Phase
- Information on Fourth Stage of Labour
- Information on Second Stage of Labour
- Information on Third Stage of Labour
- Preterm Labour and Short Cervix
- Preterm Labour
- Preterm Labour: Testing for Fetal Fibronectin
- Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes (pPROM)
- Telling Pre-Labour and True Labour Part
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During Labour
- Breathing Techniques for Childbirth
- Caesarean Birth - Overview and Facts
- Caesarean Section
- Cervical Effacement and Dilatation
- Cervical Insufficiency
- Childbirth: Epidurals
- Childbirth: Opioid Pain Medicines
- Childbirth: Pudendal and Paracervical Blocks
- Childbirth: Strep Infections During Delivery
- Comfort Positions Labour and Birth
- Epidural Anesthesia
- Epidural and Spinal Anesthesia
- Episiotomy and Perineal Tears
- Epistiotomy Vacuum and Forceps During Labour and Birth
- Fetal Monitoring During Labour HY
- Induction During Labour
- Labour Induction and Augmentation
- Local Anesthesia for Childbirth
- Pain Relief Options Labour and Birth
- Postpartum Bleeding
- Postpartum: First 6 Weeks After Childbirth
- Postural Management for Breech Position
- Practicing Breathing Techniques for Labour
- Relaxation Techniques During Labour and Birth
- Spinal Block for Childbirth
- Stillbirth
- VBAC: Labour Induction
- VBAC: Participation During Birth
- VBAC: Uterine Scar Rupture
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After Labour and Care for New Moms
- After Childbirth: Coping and Adjusting
- After Childbirth: Pelvic Bone Problems
- After Childbirth: Urination and Bowel Problems
- Birth Control for New Moms
- Childbirth Afterpains
- Concerns About Sexuality After Giving Birth
- Coping with Postpartum Depression and Anxiety
- Help with Urination After Giving Birth
- Managing Bowel Movements After Pregnancy
- Mom and Baby Staying Together
- Myths and Facts About Postpartum Depression
- New Moms and Abuse
- Nurturing Your Relationship After Giving Birth
- Postpartum Depression
- Problems After Delivery of Your Baby
- Strenghthing Your Pelvis After Birth - Kegel Exercises
- Vaginal Care After Giving Birth
- Video About Labour and Birth
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Parenting Babies (0-12 months)
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New Parents
- Advice to New Parents - staying calm
- Alcohol and Smoking After Pregnancy
- BC Healthy Connections Project
- Baby Blues
- Baby's Daily Needs: What to Expect
- Bonding With Your Baby
- Child Care Advice - New Parents
- Coping Strategies to Avoid Harming a Baby
- Coping When Your Baby Cries A Lot
- Coping with Crying
- Crying: Tired or Overstimulated
- Depression: Managing Postpartum Depression
- Fitness: Staying Active When You Have Young Children
- Infant Crying
- Maintaining a Healthy Weight After Pregnancy
- Making Sure Your Will Includes Your Baby
- Parenting With Your Partner
- Quick Tips: Baby-Proofing Your Home
- Sex After Childbirth
- Support Teams for New Parents
- Support for Single Parents During the First Year
- Taking Care of Yourself When Your Baby Is Fussy
- Tips for Soothing Babies
- Ways to Comfort a Crying Baby
- Your Body After Pregnancy
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Newborns
- Bathing and Skin Care For Newborn Babies
- Bonding With Your Newborn
- Bringing Your Newborn Baby Home
- Caring For Your Baby's Umbilical Cord
- Cognitive Growth in Newborns
- Drug Withdrawal in Newborns
- Early Days with Your Baby
- Early Detection of Liver Disease
- Early Disease Screening of Newborns
- Early Tests and Treatments for Newborns
- First 6-8 Weeks at Home with Baby - Video
- Group B Streptococcal Infections in Newborns
- Helping Your Newborn Learn
- Immunizations for Premature Infants
- Importance of Skin to Skin Contact
- Important Paperwork for Newborns
- Jaundice in Newborns (Hyperbilirubinemia)
- Kangaroo Care for Premature Infants
- Language Development in Newborns
- Meeting the Needs of Pre-Term Babies
- NICU: Communicating With the Staff
- Newborn Blood Spot Card Screening
- Newborn Rashes and Skin Conditions
- Physical Growth in Newborns
- Premature Infant
- Premature Infant: Safe Travel With Your Baby
- Preparing for Visitors - Your New Baby
- Sensory and Motor Growth in Newborns
- Special Issues With Low Weight Babies
- Tips for Diapering a Newborn Baby
- Umbilical Cord Care
- Understanding Jaundice - Newborn Babies
- Ways to Comfort a Baby in the Hospital
- What to Expect When You Have an Extremely Premature Infant
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Baby Care
- Birthmarks
- Biting
- Caring for More Than One Baby
- Caring for Your Baby's Skin and Nails
- Caring for a Baby's Nails
- Circumcision
- Circumcision: Should I Keep My Son's Penis Natural?
- Cleaning Your Young Son's Natural (Uncircumcised) Penis
- Cleft Lip
- Cleft Palate
- Club Foot
- Common Types of Birthmarks
- Creating a Healthy Emotional Attachment
- Diaper Rash
- Infant Massage
- Oral Care For Your Baby
- Positional Plagiocephaly
- Quick Tips: Getting Baby to Sleep
- Screening for Hearing Problems
- Separation Protests: Helping Your Child
- Teething and Biting
- Thumb-Sucking Versus Pacifier Use
- Tongue-Tie
- Using Soothers and Stopping When it is Time
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Breastfeeding
- A Video on Breastfeeding Positions
- A Video on Breastfeeding and Skin-to-Skin Contact
- A Video on Hand Expressing Breastmilk
- Abuse When You're Breastfeeding
- Baby's First Breastmilk - Colostrum
- Breast Engorgement
- Breast Surgery and Breastfeeding
- Breastfeeding After Breast Surgery
- Breastfeeding After a C-Section
- Breastfeeding During Pregnancy
- Breastfeeding Multiple Infants
- Breastfeeding Positions
- Breastfeeding Support for New Mothers
- Breastfeeding With Inverted Nipples
- Breastfeeding Your Newborn and an Older Child
- Breastfeeding a Sick Baby
- Breastfeeding and Its Relationship to Culture
- Breastfeeding and Returning to Work
- Breastfeeding and Your Milk Supply
- Breastfeeding at Work
- Breastfeeding
- Breastfeeding: Baby's Poor Weight Gain
- Breastfeeding: Planning Ahead
- Breastfeeding: Tobacco, Alcohol, and Drugs
- Breastfeeding: Waking Your Baby
- Breastfeeding: When Baby Doesn't Want to Stop
- Caring for Damaged Nipples When You're Breastfeeding
- Common Breastfeeding Concerns
- Common Breastfeeding Positions
- Coping With Thrush When You’re Breastfeeding
- Develop a Breastfeeding Plan
- Experiencing Let-Down Reflex
- FAQs About Breastfeeding
- Flat or Inverted Nipples
- Get Started on Expressing Breastmilk
- Getting Comfortable Breastfeeding in Public
- Getting back to Breastfeeding
- Hospital Policies and Breastfeeding
- Latching Your Baby - Video
- Learning Basics of Breastfeeding
- Learning to Latch
- Managing Engorgement
- Managing Mastitis
- Mastitis While Breastfeeding
- Medications and Herbal Products for Breastfeeding Moms
- Medicine Use While Breastfeeding
- Milk Oversupply
- Nipple Shields for Breastfeeding Problems
- Nutrition While Breastfeeding
- Oxytocin
- Partner Support for Breastfeeding
- Physical Activity and Breastfeeding
- Plugged Milk Ducts When You're Breastfeeding
- Poor Let-Down While Breastfeeding
- Preventing Mastitis
- Pumping Breast Milk
- Quick Tips: Successful Breastfeeding
- Signs That Your Baby Is Getting Enough Breast Milk
- Sleep, Rest, and Breastfeeding
- Storing Breast Milk
- Storing and Using Breastmilk
- Tips for Breastfeeding Preterm Babies
- Under or Over Production of Milk During Breastfeeding
- Vitamin D Supplements for Breastfeeding Babies
- What you need to Know About Supplementing Baby Formula
- Your Milk Supply
-
Feeding Your Baby
- Alternative Feeding Methods for Newborns
- Baby Feeding Cues - Video
- Bottle-Feeding: When Baby Doesn't Want to Stop
- Burping a Baby
- Choosing Baby Bottles and Nipples
- Cleft Palate: Feeding Your Baby
- Combining Breastfeeding and Formula-Feeding
- Cup-Feeding Baby With Breast Milk or Formula
- Feeding Schedule for Babies
- Feeding Your Child Using Division of Responsibility
- Feeding Your Infant
- Feeding Your Premature Infant
- Food Allergies, Your Baby's First Year
- Getting Started and Feeding Cues
- How Often and How Long to Feed
- Introducing Solid Foods to Your Baby
- Learn More Before You Supplement Formula
- Safe Drinking Water - Your Baby's First Year
- Safe Water for Mixing Infant Formula
- Signs of a Good Feed
- Spitting Up
- Vitamin D Supplements for Babies - First Year
- Weaning
-
Baby Health
- Abdominal Gas and Colic
- Blocked Tear Ducts: Should My Baby Have a Probing Procedure?
- Bowel Movements in Babies
- Cataracts in Children
- Chronic Lung Disease in Infants
- Colic Diary
- Colic
- Colic: Harmful Treatments
- Comforting a Child Who Has a Respiratory Illness
- Common Health Concerns for Babies First Year
- Cough Symptoms in Children
- Cradle Cap
- Croup
- Croup: Managing a Croup Attack
- Crying Child That Is Not Acting Normally
- Dehydration: Drinking Enough Fluids
- Dental Care From 6 Months to 3 Years
- Dental Care From Birth to 6 Months
- Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip
- Developmental Problems: Testing
- Failure to Thrive
- Gastroesophageal Reflux in Babies and Children
- Health and Safety, Birth to 2 Years
- Healthy Hearing and Vision For Babies
- Immunization, Your Baby's First Year
- Orchiopexy for Undescended Testicle
- Reducing Biting in Children Ages 8 to 14 Months
- Reducing Biting in Teething Babies
- Teething Products
- Teething: Common Concerns
- Treating Asthma in Babies and Younger Children
- Understanding Flat Spots on Babies' Heads
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Baby Growth and Development
- Babies Physical Development 0-6 Months
- Babies Physical Development 6-9 Months
- Babies Physical Development 9-12 Months
- Babies Social and Emotional Development 0-6 Months
- Babies Social and Emotional Development 6-9 Months
- Babies Social and Emotional Development 9-12 Months
- Babies and Language Development 6-9 Months
- Babies and Language Development 9-12 Months
- Children's Growth Chart
- Cognitive Development 0-6 Months
- Cognitive Development 9-12 mos
- Cognitive Development First 6-9 Mos
- Emotional and Social Growth in Newborns
- Growth and Development Milestones
- Growth and Development, Newborn
- Importance of Tummy Time for Babies' Development
- Speech and Language Milestones, Birth to 1 Year
- Stimulate Your Baby's Learning
- Tooth Development in Children
-
Baby Safety
- Babies' Sleep Position and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
- Baby Proofing Your Home First Year
- Choking Rescue for Babies
- Choosing and Using Baby Carriers Safely
- Safer Sleep for My Baby
- Crib Safety
- Risks and Concerns Around Bed Sharing
- Safe Chairs for Baby's First Year
- Safe Use of Strollers for Babies
- Safely Using Walkers, Playpens and Jumpers
- Safer Sleeping
- Safety at Home for Baby's First Year
- Shaken Baby Syndrome
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
- Sun Safety Babies for their First Year
- Physical Activity for Babies in the First Year
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New Parents
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Parenting Toddlers (12-36 months)
- Mealtime and Your Toddler
-
Caring for Your Toddler
- Acetaminophen Use in Young Children
- Breath-Holding Spells
- Breath-Holding Spells: Keeping a Record
- Brushing and Flossing a Child's Teeth
- Care for Toddlers' Colds and Coughs
- Crying, Age 3 and Younger
- Dealing with Dawdling and Whining in Toddlers
- Dealing with Toddlers' Challenging Behaviour - General
- Dental Care and Teething in Toddlers
- Egocentric and Magical Thinking
- Handwashing Advice for Parents of Toddlers
- Healthcare resources for sick toddlers
- Hearing Health for Toddlers
- Ibuprofen Use in Young Children
- Managing Your Toddler's Frustrating Behaviours
- Positive Parenting
- Preparing Your Toddler for Health Care Visits
- Preventing Breath-Holding Spells in Children
- Promoting Positive Behaviour in Your Toddler
- Protecting Your Toddlers Vision
- Toddler Tantrums
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Toddler Growth and Development
- Cognitive Development 18-24 Months
- Cognitive Development, Ages 1 to 12 Months
- Cognitive Development, Ages 12 to 24 Months
- Different Types of Play
- Emotional Development
- Emotional and Social Development, Ages 1 to 12 Months
- Emotional and Social Development, Ages 12 to 24 Months
- Growth and Development, Ages 1 to 12 Months
- Growth and Development, Ages 12 to 24 Months
- Growth and Development, Ages 2 to 5 Years
- Language Development 12-18 Months
- Language Development 18-24 Months
- Language Development 24-30 Months
- Learning Through Play for Toddlers
- Learning to Use the Toilet
- Milestones for 2-Year-Olds
- Milestones for 3-Year-Olds
- My Toddler Ready for Toilet Training
- Outdoor Play
- Physical Development of Toddlers From 12-18 months
- Physical Development, Ages 1 to 12 Months
- Physical Development, Ages 12 to 24 Months
- Physical Development: 3-4 Years
- Physical Development: 4-5 Years
- Sensory and Motor Development, Ages 1 to 12 Months
- Sensory and Motor Development, Ages 12 to 24 Months
- Speech and Language Development: Helping Your 1- to 2-Year-Old
- Speech and Language Milestones, Ages 1 to 3 Years
- Toddler Play 12-24 Months
- Toddler Play 24-36 Months
- Toddler Play Activities
- Toddler's Cognitive Development From 18-24 Months
- Toddler's Cognitive Development From 30-36 Months
- Toddlers Language Development 30-36 Months
- Toddlers Physical Development 18-24 Months
- Toddlers Physical Development 24-30 Months
- Toddlers Physical Development 30-36 Months
- Toddlers Social and Emotional Development 12-18 Months
- Toddlers Social and Emotional Development 18-24 months
- Toddlers Social and Emotional Development 30-36 Months
- Toddlers social and Emotional Development 24-30 months
- Toddlers' Cognitive Development From 12-18 Months
- Toddlers' Cognitive Development From 24-30 Months
- Toilet Training
- Toilet Training: Knowing When Your Child Is Ready
- Understanding your Toddlers Development
-
Toddler Safety
- Bathroom Safety For Toddlers
- Bed Safety Toddlers Age 3
- Bicyles Tricylces and Helmets for Toddlers
- Childproofing your Home
- Falls Prevention for Toddlers
- Fire and Burn Prevention for Toddlers
- Keeping Surfaces Clean
- Keeping Your Toddler Safe Around Pets
- Kitchen Safety for Toddlers
- Playground Safety for Toddlers
- Poison Prevention for Toddlers
- Safety Outdoors in the Cold for Toddlers
- Safety for Your Toddler in the Community
- Saftey for Toddlers in the Heat and Sun
- Staying Calm Through Challenging Behaviours
- Streetproofiing Tips for Your Toddler
- Toddler Safety Near Swimming Pools
- Toy Safety for Toddlers
- Water Safety for Toddlers
- Your Toddler: Safe Ways to Explore
- Agreeing on Parenting Styles
- Toddler Sleep
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Parenting Preschoolers (3-5 years)
- Mealtime and Your Preschooler
-
Caring for Your Preschooler
- Connecting with your preschooler and Building Self-Esteem
- Connecting with your preschooler and building coping skills
- Connecting with your preschooler and developing social skills
- Crying in preschool
- Daytime Accidental Wetting
- Dental Care: 3 Years to 6 Years
- Dental care for preschoolers
- Health and Safety, Ages 2 to 5 Years
- Learning to Share Preschool
- Praise and Encouragement
- Preschoolers: Building Self-Control
- Preschoolers: Building Social Skills
- Preschoolers: Building a Sense of Security
- Preschoolers: Encouraging Independence
- Preschoolers: Helping Your Child Explore
- Preventing Tooth Decay in Young Children
- Talking and Listening - Preschool
- Temper Tantrums in Preschool
- Temper Tantrums
- Temper Tantrums: Keeping a Record
- Thumb-Sucking: Helping Your Child Stop
- Your Child and the Dentist
- Good Sleep Habits: 10 Tips
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Preschooler Growth and Development
- Emotional Development, Ages 2 to 5 Years
- Encouraging Language Development in Your Preschooler
- Encouraging Preschoolers creative and artistic development
- How Reading Helps Language Development
- How to Teach Your Child by Example
- Language Development 3-4 Years
- Language Development 4-5 Years
- Language Development Amazing Journey Preschool
- Language Development: 5-6 years
- Milestones for 4-Year-Olds
- Milestones for 5-Year-Olds
- Preschooler Development 3-4 Years
- Preschooler Play
- Preschooler development 4-5 years
- Speech Problems: Normal Disfluency
- Speech and Language Delays: Common Misconceptions 49
- Speech and Language Development
- Speech and Language Development: Red Flags
- Speech and Language Milestones, Ages 3 to 5 Years
- Stuttering
- Thumb-Sucking
- Why Play is Important in Preschool
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Parenting School-Age Children (6-11 years)
- Mealtime for School-Age Children
-
Caring for Your School-Age Child
- About Self Esteem and Children
- Active Listening for Children
- Bedwetting
- Building Kids Resilience
- Childhood Fears and Exposure to Violence
- Connecting With Your School-age Child
- Conversation Skills Children talking and Listening
- Conversations that Teach Children Resilience
- Dental Care for School-Age Children
- Don't Stop Having Conversations With Kids
- Establishing Limits With Your School-Age Child
- Explaining Alcohol to Kids
- Friends and Friendship
- Help Your School-Age Child Develop Social Skills
- Helping Your School-Age Child Learn About the Body
- How School-Age Children Communicate
- How to Communicate with your School Age Children
- Problem Solving Strategies
- Problem Solving for Children
- Quick Tips: Using Backpacks Safely
- Sample School Plan
- School Mornings
- Self-Esteem, Ages 6 to 10
- Talking About Tough Topics
- Why Talking is Important
- Back to School
-
School-Age Children Growth and Development 6-11
- Growing Pains
- Growth and Development, Ages 6 to 10 Years
- Learning Disabilities
- Milestones for 10-Year-Olds
- Milestones for 6-Year-Olds
- Milestones for 7-Year-Olds
- Milestones for 8-Year-Olds
- Milestones for 9-Year-Olds
- School-Age Children Creative and Artistic Development - what to expect
- School-Age Children and Play
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Parenting Teens (12-18 years)
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Teen Growth and Development
- Adolescent Sensory and Motor Development
- Cognitive Development, Ages 15 to 18 Years
- Emotional and Social Development, Ages 11 to 14 Years
- Emotional and Social Development, Ages 15 to 18 Years
- Growth and Development, Ages 11 to 14 Years
- Growth and Development, Ages 15 to 18 Years
- Menarche
- Menstruation: Not Having a Period by Age 15
- Milestones for Ages 11 to 14
- Milestones for Ages 15 to 18
- Physical Development, Ages 11 to 14 Years /
- Physical Development, Ages 15 to 18 Years
- Puberty Issues
- Teenage Sleep Patterns
- Your Teen's Changing Body
-
Caring for Your Teen
- A Guide for Teens and Alcohol
- Confidence in Teenagers
- Conversations that Teach Resilience
- Dealing with Disrespectful Teenage Behaviour
- Extracurricular Activities, Interests and Hobbies For Teenagers
- Getting Teens Involved in Community Activities
- Health Body Image
- Help Your Working Teen Balance Responsibilities and Set Priorities
- Helping Adolescents Develop More Mature Ways of Thinking
- Helping Your Child Transition Into Middle School or Junior High
- Helping Your Teen Become a Safe Driver
- Hosting Safe Teen Parties
- How to Get Back on Track After Conflict with Teenagers
- How to Start a Conversation with Teens About Alcohol
- If Your Teen is Drinking
- Medical Checkups for Adolescents
- Practicing Good Learning Skills with Teenagers
- Resilience: Helping Your Teenager Cope With Challenges
- Responsibilities
- Responsible Teen Driving
- Safe Night Out for Teenagers
- Setting a Good Example for Your Teens
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Topic Overview
What is pre-eclampsia?
Pre-eclampsia is high blood pressure after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Protein in the urine is a common sign of the disease. Pre-eclampsia usually goes away after you give birth. But symptoms may last a few weeks or more and can get worse after delivery. Rarely, symptoms of pre-eclampsia don't show up until days or even weeks after childbirth.
Not all high blood pressure is pre-eclampsia. In some women, blood pressure goes up very high in the second or third trimester. This is sometimes called gestational hypertension, and it can lead to pre-eclampsia. Women who have high blood pressure before 20 weeks of pregnancy or before they are pregnant can also get pre-eclampsia.
Pre-eclampsia can be dangerous for the mother and baby. It can keep the baby from getting enough blood and oxygen. It also can harm the mother's liver, kidneys, and brain. Women with very bad pre-eclampsia can have dangerous seizures. This is called eclampsia.
What causes pre-eclampsia?
Experts don't know the exact cause.
Pre-eclampsia seems to start because the placenta doesn't grow the usual network of blood vessels deep in the wall of the uterus. This leads to poor blood flow in the placenta.
If your mother had pre-eclampsia while she was pregnant with you, you have a higher chance of getting it during pregnancy. You also have a higher chance of getting it if the mother of your baby's father had pre-eclampsia.
Already having high blood pressure when you get pregnant raises your chance of getting pre-eclampsia.
What are the symptoms?
Mild pre-eclampsia usually doesn't cause symptoms.
But pre-eclampsia can cause rapid weight gain and sudden swelling of the hands and face.
Severe pre-eclampsia causes symptoms such as a very bad headache and trouble seeing and breathing. It also can cause belly pain and decreased urination.
How is pre-eclampsia diagnosed?
Pre-eclampsia is usually found during a prenatal visit.
This is one reason why it's so important to go to all of your prenatal visits. You need to have your blood pressure checked often. During these visits, your blood pressure is measured. A sudden increase in blood pressure often is the first sign of a problem.
You also will have a urine test to look for protein, another sign of pre-eclampsia.
If you have high blood pressure, tell your doctor right away if you have a headache or belly pain. These signs of pre-eclampsia can occur before protein shows up in your urine.
How is it treated?
The only "cure" for pre-eclampsia is having the baby.
You may get medicines to lower your blood pressure and to prevent seizures.
You also may get medicine to help your baby's lungs get ready for birth.
Your doctor will try to deliver your baby when the baby has grown enough to be ready for birth. But sometimes a baby has to be delivered early to protect the health of the mother or the baby. If this happens, your baby will get special care for premature babies.
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Cause
Experts don't know the exact cause of pre-eclampsia.
But it may start with a poorly developed placenta that doesn't circulate blood normally. What causes this placenta problem isn't yet clear. Experts also don't know why the mother's body then develops high blood pressure.
Immune system response
Pre-eclampsia occurs most often in women who are pregnant for the first time and in women who have been pregnant before but now have a first pregnancy with a different man.
Exposure to an antigen from the father (in the growing placenta or fetus, for example) may trigger an immune response in the woman's body. This immune response—the body's way of fighting infection—may result in narrowing of the blood vessels throughout the body, causing higher blood pressure and other problems.
Symptoms
Although you may have other symptoms, you will not be diagnosed with pre-eclampsia unless you also have one or both of the following:
- Your blood pressure is high.
- A urine test shows that you have too much protein in your urine.
- You have other problems related to pre-eclampsia.
Other symptoms of mild pre-eclampsia may include:
- Swelling of the hands and face that doesn't go away during the day. (If you have no other symptoms of pre-eclampsia, this swelling is probably a sign of normal pregnancy.)
- Rapid weight gain—more than 1 kg (2 lb) a week or 3 kg (6 lb) a month.
- Bleeding from a cut or injury that lasts longer than usual.
Severe pre-eclampsia
In severe pre-eclampsia, systolic blood pressure is over 160, or diastolic blood pressure is over 110, or both.
As blood circulation to the organs decreases, more severe symptoms can develop, including:
- A severe headache that will not go away with medicine such as acetaminophen.
- Blurred or dimming vision, spots in the visual field, or periods of blindness.
- Decreased urination—less than 500 mL (2 cups) in 24 hours.
- Lasting belly pain or tenderness, especially on the upper right side.
- Problems breathing, especially when lying flat.
- HELLP syndrome. This is a life-threatening liver disorder. It is usually related to pre-eclampsia. Get emergency medical treatment if you have several symptoms of HELLP syndrome, such as headaches, vision problems, fatigue, or belly pain.
Eclampsia
When pre-eclampsia leads to seizures, it is called eclampsia.
Eclampsia is life-threatening for both a mother and her baby. During a seizure, the oxygen supply to the baby is drastically reduced.
Call 9-1-1 any time a pregnant woman has a seizure.
What Happens
Pre-eclampsia can be mild or severe. It may get worse gradually or rapidly. It affects your blood pressure, placenta, liver, blood, kidneys, and brain.
It's very important to get treatment, because both you and your baby could suffer life-threatening problems involving your:
- Blood pressure. The blood vessels increase their resistance against blood flow, increasing blood pressure. Very high blood pressure keeps your baby from getting enough blood and oxygen. Also, blood volume doesn't increase as much as it should during pregnancy. This can affect the baby's growth and well-being.
- Placenta. The blood vessels of the placenta don't grow deep into the uterus as they should. And they don't widen as they normally would. This makes them unable to provide normal blood flow to the baby.
- Liver. Poor blood flow to the mother's liver can cause liver damage. Liver impairment is related to the life-threatening HELLP syndrome, which requires emergency medical treatment.
- Kidneys. When affected by pre-eclampsia, the kidneys can't work as well as they should to remove waste and extra water.
- Brain. Vision impairment, persistent headaches, and seizures (eclampsia) can develop. Eclampsia can lead to maternal coma and fetal and maternal death. This is why women with pre-eclampsia are often given medicine to prevent eclampsia.
- Blood. Low platelet levels in the blood are common with pre-eclampsia. In rare cases, a potentially life-threatening blood-clotting and bleeding problem develops along with severe pre-eclampsia.footnote 1 This condition is called disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). After delivery, DIC goes away. In the meantime, you may be given a medicine (clotting factor), blood transfusion, or platelet transfusion.
Delivery of the baby and placenta is the only "cure" for pre-eclampsia. If your condition becomes dangerous enough that delivery is necessary but you don't go into labour, your doctor will induce labour or deliver the baby with surgery (caesarean section). Symptoms of pre-eclampsia may last a few weeks or more and can get worse after delivery. Rarely, symptoms of pre-eclampsia don't show up until days or even weeks after childbirth.
Unless you have chronic high blood pressure, your blood pressure should return to normal in a few days or weeks. In severe cases, this can take 6 or more weeks.
After having pre-eclampsia, you have a higher-than-average risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. This may be because the same things that cause pre-eclampsia also cause heart and kidney disease. To protect your health, work with your doctor on living a heart-healthy lifestyle and getting the checkups you need.
The infant
The earlier in the pregnancy that pre-eclampsia begins and the more severe it becomes, the greater the risk of preterm birth, which can cause problems for the newborn.
An infant born before 37 weeks may have difficulty breathing because of immature lungs (respiratory distress syndrome).
A newborn affected by pre-eclampsia may also be smaller than normal. This is because of inadequate nutrition from poor blood flow through the placenta.
What Increases Your Risk
Risk factors (things that increase your risk) for pre-eclampsia include:
- Chronic (ongoing) high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, or diabetes.
- High blood pressure in a past pregnancy, especially before week 34.
- Personal history of pre-eclampsia.
- Family history of pre-eclampsia.
- Being very overweight at the time of conception.
- Being pregnant with more than one baby (such as twins or triplets).
- First pregnancy ever or first-time pregnancy with current partner.
- Age younger than 21 or older than 35.
When should you call your doctor?
Share this information with your partner or a friend. They can help you watch for warning signs.
Call 9-1-1 anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:
- You passed out (lost consciousness).
- You have a seizure.
Seek medical care now if you are pregnant and start to have symptoms of pre-eclampsia, such as:
- Blurred vision or other vision problems.
- Frequent headaches that are getting worse or a persistent headache that does not respond to non-prescription pain medicine.
- Pain or tenderness in your belly, especially in the upper right section.
- Weight gain of 1 kg (2 lb) or more over a 24-hour period.
- Shoulder, neck, and other upper body pain (this pain starts in the liver).
If you have mild high blood pressure or mild pre-eclampsia, you may not have any symptoms. It's important to see a health professional regularly throughout your pregnancy.
Symptoms such as heartburn or swelling in the legs and feet are normal during pregnancy. They usually aren't symptoms of pre-eclampsia. You can discuss these symptoms with your doctor or midwife at your next scheduled prenatal visit. But if swelling occurs along with other symptoms of pre-eclampsia, contact your doctor or midwife right away.
Examinations and Tests
Pre-eclampsia is usually found during regular prenatal checkups.
Routine prenatal tests
Certain tests are given at each prenatal visit to check for pre-eclampsia. These include a:
- Blood pressure reading. Blood pressure is always monitored closely during pregnancy.
- Urine test to check for too much protein in the urine. This is a sign of kidney damage caused by pre-eclampsia.
- Weight measurement. Rapid weight gain can be a sign of pre-eclampsia.
Tests for women considered high-risk for pre-eclampsia
Other tests may also be used to check for signs of pre-eclampsia, including:
- Blood tests to check for problems such as HELLP syndrome and kidney damage. (Too much uric acid in the blood is often the earliest sign of pre-eclampsia.)
- Creatinine clearance test to check kidney function. This requires both a blood sample and a 24-hour urine collection.
- 24-hour urine collection test to check protein in the urine.
Tests for women who have pre-eclampsia
If results from one or more of the above tests suggest that you have pre-eclampsia, you and your baby will be closely monitored for the rest of your pregnancy.
Testing is more frequent and extensive when pre-eclampsia is severe and the pregnancy is less than 37 weeks.
You may have a physical examination to check for signs that pre-eclampsia is getting worse.
You may also have:
- Blood tests to check for blood abnormalities and kidney damage.
- A creatinine clearance test.
Tests for women who have eclampsia
If you have a seizure (eclampsia), one or more of the following tests may be done after delivery:
- A CT scan or MRI to check organs and internal body structures.
- An electroencephalogram (EEG) to measure the brain's electrical activity.
Tests for the baby
If you get pre-eclampsia, the baby's health also will be closely watched. The more severe your condition, the more often you'll need testing, ranging from once a week to daily.
Tests commonly used include:
- Electronic fetal heart monitoring. It records the baby's heart rate.
- Fetal ultrasound to check the baby, the placenta, and the amount of amniotic fluid.
- Doppler ultrasound. This test checks how well the placenta is working.
Treatment Overview
Mild pre-eclampsia
For mild pre-eclampsia that is not rapidly getting worse, you may only have to reduce your level of activity, monitor how you feel, and have frequent office visits and testing.
Moderate to severe pre-eclampsia
For moderate or severe pre-eclampsia, or for pre-eclampsia that is rapidly getting worse, you may need to go to the hospital for expectant management. This typically includes bedrest, medicine, and close monitoring of you and your baby.
Severe pre-eclampsia or an eclamptic seizure is treated with magnesium sulfate. This medicine can stop a seizure and can prevent seizures. If you are near delivery or have severe pre-eclampsia, your doctor will plan to deliver your baby as soon as possible.
Life-threatening pre-eclampsia
If your condition becomes life-threatening to you or your baby, the only treatment options are magnesium sulfate to prevent seizures and delivering the baby.
If you are less than 34 weeks pregnant and a 24- to 48-hour delay is possible, you will likely be given antenatal corticosteroids to speed up the baby's lung development before delivery.
Delivery
A vaginal delivery is usually safest for the mother. It is tried first if she and the baby are both stable.
If pre-eclampsia is rapidly getting worse or fetal monitoring suggests that the baby cannot safely handle labour contractions, a caesarean section (C-section) delivery is needed.
After childbirth
If you have moderate to severe pre-eclampsia, your risk of seizures (eclampsia) continues for the first 24 to 48 hours after childbirth. (In very rare cases, seizures are reported later in the postpartum period.) So you may continue magnesium sulfate for 24 hours after delivery.footnote 2
Unless you have chronic high blood pressure, your blood pressure is likely to return to normal a few days after delivery. In rare cases, it can take 6 weeks or more. Some women still have high blood pressure 6 weeks after childbirth yet return to normal levels over the long term.
If your blood pressure is still high after delivery, you may be given a blood pressure medicine. You will then have regular checkups with your doctor.
After having pre-eclampsia, you have a higher-than-average risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. This may be because the same things that cause pre-eclampsia also cause heart and kidney disease. To protect your health, work with your doctor on living a heart-healthy lifestyle and getting the checkups you need.
Prevention
Lowering your blood pressure helps to prevent pre-eclampsia. If you have chronic high blood pressure, you can lower your blood pressure before pregnancy by:
- Exercising.
- Eating a diet low in sodium and rich in fruits and vegetables.
- Staying at a healthy weight.
When you are pregnant, regular checkups are key to early detection and treatment. Prompt treatment is vital to preventing the development of severe and possibly life-threatening pre-eclampsia.
If you are at high risk for pre-eclampsia, your doctor may recommend that you take low-dose aspirin and a calcium supplement during your pregnancy.footnote 3
Home Treatment
Expectant management
If you develop signs of pre-eclampsia early in pregnancy, your doctor or midwife may prescribe something called expectant management at home, possibly for many weeks.
This may mean you are advised to stop working, reduce your activity level, or possibly spend a lot of time resting (partial bedrest). Although partial bed rest is considered reasonable treatment for pre-eclampsia, experts don't know how well it works to treat mild pre-eclampsia or high blood pressure.footnote 4 It is known that strict bedrest may increase your risk of getting a blood clot in the legs or lungs.
Whether you are required to reduce your activity or have partial bedrest, expectant management limits your ability to work, remain active, take care of children, and fulfill other responsibilities. It may be helpful to follow some tips for dealing with bedrest.
Daily monitoring
You may be required to monitor your own condition on a daily basis. If so, you or another person (such as a trained family member or a visiting nurse) will:
- Monitor your blood pressure at home.
- Check your urine for protein.
- Check your weight. Before checking your weight, you should empty your bladder, take off your shoes, and wear about the same amount of clothing each time.
- Monitor fetal movements or kick counts.
Keep a written record of your results, including the dates and times you checked. Take this record with you when you visit your doctor or midwife.
Social support
Worry and reduced activity are difficult parts of having pre-eclampsia. It often helps to talk with women who are or have been in the same situation.
Medications
Medicine for pre-eclampsia may be used to:
- Control high blood pressure. Lowering high blood pressure doesn't prevent pre-eclampsia from getting worse. That's because high blood pressure is only a symptom of the condition, not a cause. Your doctor may recommend blood pressure medicine if your blood pressure reaches high levels.
- Prevent seizures. Magnesium sulfate is usually started before delivery and continued for 24 hours after delivery for women with pregnancy-related seizures (eclampsia) and those who have moderate to severe pre-eclampsia.
- Speed up fetal lung development. When possible, steroid medicine is given to the mother prior to a premature birth. This medicine matures the baby's lungs over a 24-hour period, which lowers the risk of breathing problems after birth.
Blood pressure medicines
Medicines used to control chronic high blood pressure during pregnancy include:
- Labetalol.
- Methyldopa.
- Nifedipine.
Some high blood pressure medicines are dangerous during pregnancy.footnote 5 If you take high blood pressure medicines, talk to your doctor about the safety of your medicine. Discuss this before you become pregnant or as soon as you learn you are pregnant. Make sure that your doctor has a complete list of all medicines that you take.
Other blood pressure medicines that may be used include hydralazine. This is an intravenous medicine quickly lower severely high blood pressure during pregnancy.
Lowering blood pressure too much or too fast can reduce blood flow to the placenta, causing problems for the baby. So medicine is reserved for preventing severely high blood pressure levels that may be life-threatening to you or your baby.
Surgery
There is no surgical treatment for pre-eclampsia.
A caesarean section delivery is used when:
- A rapid delivery is medically needed for the mother's or baby's well-being or survival.
- Induction of labour has not been successful, usually after 24 hours.
- There are medical reasons, such as placenta previa, that make vaginal delivery dangerous.
Related Information
References
Citations
- Roberts JM, Funai EF (2009). Pregnancy-related hypertension. In RK Creasy, R Resnik, eds., Creasy and Resnik's Maternal-Fetal Medicine: Principles and Practice, 6th ed., pp. 651–688. Philadelphia: Saunders.
- Roberts JM, Funai EF (2009). Pregnancy-related hypertension. In RK Creasy, R Resnik, eds., Creasy and Resnik's Maternal-Fetal Medicine: Principles and Practice, 6th ed., pp. 651–688. Philadelphia: Saunders.
- Magee LA, et al. (2014). Diagnosis, evaluation, and management of the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: Executive summary. SOGC Clinical Practice Guideline No. 307. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada, 36(5): 416–438. http://sogc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/gui307CPG1405E1.pdf. Accessed June 26, 2014.
- Sibai BM (2003). Diagnosis and management of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 102(1): 191–192.
- Cooper WO, et al. (2006). Major congenital malformations after first-trimester exposure to ACE inhibitors. New England Journal of Medicine, 354(23): 2443–2451.
Other Works Consulted
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (2014). Low-dose aspirin use for the prevention of morbidity and mortality from preeclampsia: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/uspsaspg.htm. Accessed September 16, 2014.
Credits
Current as of: June 16, 2021
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
Sarah Marshall MD - Family Medicine
Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine
Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine
Elizabeth T. Russo MD - Internal Medicine
William Gilbert MD - Maternal and Fetal Medicine
Current as of: June 16, 2021
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:Sarah Marshall MD - Family Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine & Elizabeth T. Russo MD - Internal Medicine & William Gilbert MD - Maternal and Fetal Medicine
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