Preeclampsia is high blood pressure (≥140/90 mmHg) with proteinuria or organ involvement developing after 20 weeks of pregnancy. It can be life-threatening if untreated. Warning signs include severe headache, visual disturbances, upper abdominal pain, and sudden swelling. At Mother Hospitals, Boduppal, we provide expert preeclampsia management including magnesium sulphate, antihypertensives, fetal monitoring, and planned delivery. Call 97059 93366 immediately if you have any symptoms.
Do NOT wait. These symptoms may indicate severe preeclampsia or imminent eclampsia. This is a medical emergency.
Preeclampsia is one of the most serious complications of pregnancy. At Mother Hospitals, Boduppal, Dr. E. Prashanthi Reddy provides specialist high-risk obstetric care — from early detection and prevention to magnesium sulphate therapy and planned delivery. Early specialist care saves lives.
MBBS, DGO, PG Diploma in ART – Kiel University, Germany | 20+ Years Experience | TGMC Reg: 50624
Preeclampsia is a multisystem disorder of pregnancy characterised by new-onset hypertension (≥140/90 mmHg on two occasions) developing after 20 weeks, accompanied by proteinuria (PCR >30 mg/mmol) and/or signs of organ damage. It complicates 3–5% of pregnancies worldwide and is a leading cause of maternal and perinatal mortality. Unlike gestational hypertension, preeclampsia involves organ systems beyond the cardiovascular system — including the liver, kidneys, brain, and clotting system.
The critical difference is the presence of organ involvement beyond elevated BP alone:
Preeclampsia is classified as severe if any of the following are present:
Severe preeclampsia requires immediate hospitalisation and urgent delivery planning regardless of gestational age.
HELLP syndrome is a severe variant of preeclampsia with three specific findings:
HELLP can occur without classical preeclampsia features (30% of cases have no severe hypertension at onset). Symptoms include severe nausea, vomiting, right upper quadrant pain, and malaise. HELLP syndrome is a medical emergency requiring immediate delivery regardless of gestational age. Mortality is significant without prompt treatment.
If you have upper abdominal pain with nausea in pregnancy — seek care immediately. Do not delay.
Preeclampsia risk can be stratified using recognised risk factors. The International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy (ISSHP) recommends assessing risk from the first antenatal visit to guide aspirin prophylaxis and surveillance planning.
IVF-conceived pregnancies carry a modestly higher risk of preeclampsia — particularly donor egg IVF (where immune tolerance to the embryo may differ), twin IVF pregnancies, and women with underlying PCOS. All IVF pregnancies at Mother Hospitals are registered in our high-risk antenatal pathway from booking. Our IVF programme →
First-trimester combined screening (11–13 weeks) using maternal history, mean arterial pressure, uterine artery Doppler PI, and PlGF blood test can identify women at high risk of early-onset preeclampsia (<37 weeks) with detection rates of 75–90%. This is the basis of the ASPRE trial aspirin protocol.
1. Severe Headache
A persistent, severe headache unlike your usual headaches — not relieved by paracetamol. This may indicate cerebral oedema or impending eclampsia.
2. Visual Disturbances
Flashing lights (photopsia), blurring, tunnel vision, or temporary loss of vision. These reflect hypertensive damage to the retinal circulation.
3. Upper Abdominal Pain
Pain in the right upper quadrant (below the right rib) or epigastric (central) area. This indicates liver involvement and is a feature of HELLP syndrome.
4. Sudden Swelling
Sudden, severe swelling of the face, hands, and feet — particularly when asymmetric or rapidly worsening. Some swelling is normal in pregnancy; sudden severe swelling is not.
5. Difficulty Breathing
Shortness of breath at rest or when lying flat may indicate pulmonary oedema (fluid in the lungs) — a feature of severe preeclampsia.
6. Reduced Fetal Movements
Preeclampsia reduces placental blood flow and can cause fetal distress. Any reduction in your baby's movement pattern requires same-day assessment.
Call 97059 93366 or go to the nearest emergency department. Do NOT wait for your next appointment. Every minute matters.
The diagnosis of preeclampsia requires a systematic assessment combining clinical, biochemical, and fetal evaluation. No single test is diagnostic — the clinical picture must be interpreted as a whole.
The only definitive treatment for preeclampsia is delivery of the baby and placenta. Until delivery is safe, expert medical management controls BP, prevents complications, and buys time for fetal maturity. This requires skilled high-risk obstetric care — not routine antenatal follow-up.
BP control in preeclampsia reduces the risk of maternal stroke and placental abruption. Target: systolic 130–150, diastolic 80–100 mmHg (avoid over-treatment).
ACE inhibitors and ARBs are absolutely contraindicated in pregnancy.
Magnesium sulphate (MgSO₄) is the gold-standard treatment to prevent eclamptic seizures (fits) in women with severe preeclampsia. It is also used to treat eclampsia if seizures occur.
Preeclampsia impairs placental perfusion, placing the fetus at risk of growth restriction, hypoxia, and stillbirth. Intensive monitoring is essential:
Timing of delivery balances maternal safety against fetal maturity risk:
For women at high risk of preeclampsia, evidence-based preventive strategies can significantly reduce the chance of developing the condition — or delay its onset until a safer gestational age.
The ASPRE randomised controlled trial (2017) demonstrated that aspirin 150 mg daily from 11–16 weeks of pregnancy reduces the risk of preterm preeclampsia by 62% in high-risk women identified by first-trimester combined screening.
Calcium supplementation (1.5–2 g elemental calcium daily) has been shown to halve the risk of preeclampsia in women with low dietary calcium intake — common in India where dairy consumption may be suboptimal. WHO recommends calcium supplementation for all pregnant women in low-calcium populations. This is a simple, inexpensive, and safe intervention.
Preeclampsia does not always resolve immediately after delivery — BP may remain elevated or even worsen in the first 48–72 hours postpartum. Management continues:
Women who have had preeclampsia face significantly elevated long-term health risks — the condition is now understood as a window into future cardiovascular health:
IVF-conceived pregnancies carry a modestly higher risk of preeclampsia compared to spontaneously conceived pregnancies. This is important for any woman who has undergone IVF treatment to understand before and during pregnancy.
All IVF pregnancies at Mother Hospitals are registered in our high-risk antenatal pathway from the time pregnancy is confirmed. This means:
Dr. E. Prashanthi Reddy completed her PG Diploma in ART from Kiel University, Germany — a leading European reproductive and obstetric medicine centre. Her international training informs her evidence-based approach to high-risk obstetric management, including preeclampsia.
With over 20 years of obstetric practice and 10,000+ families cared for, Dr. Prashanthi Reddy has extensive experience managing all severities of preeclampsia — from early-onset severe cases to HELLP syndrome requiring immediate delivery.
Mother Hospitals has clear protocols for acute severe hypertension — IV antihypertensives, magnesium sulphate loading, and rapid delivery pathway. You will not be sent elsewhere in an emergency.
On-site CTG, growth scans, and Doppler assessment mean fetal wellbeing is monitored without referral delays. When the fetal condition changes, we act immediately.
Our management follows internationally recognised guidelines — aspirin prophylaxis, magnesium sulphate (Magpie Trial), antihypertensive targets (CHIPS Trial), and delivery timing based on current evidence. No outdated or unvalidated practices.
We explain your diagnosis, risk, and management plan clearly. You will always know what we are monitoring and why. Families of high-risk patients are also briefed on warning signs so everyone knows when to seek emergency care.
The only definitive cure for preeclampsia is delivery of the baby and placenta. Medical management controls BP, prevents seizures, and allows time for the fetus to mature — but does not reverse the underlying pathology. After delivery, most women recover fully within days to weeks, though BP monitoring and follow-up is required for at least 6 weeks postpartum.
Preeclampsia develops after 20 weeks of pregnancy by definition. It most commonly presents after 34 weeks (late-onset preeclampsia). Early-onset preeclampsia (before 34 weeks) is less common but more severe, and is associated with greater maternal and fetal risk. Rare cases can occur immediately postpartum.
No. The mode of delivery depends on the clinical situation. Induction of labour (IOL) with vaginal delivery is often appropriate in women with stable preeclampsia near term. Caesarean section may be needed if the cervix is unfavourable, the fetal condition deteriorates, or delivery needs to happen very rapidly in severe disease. The decision is made case by case. C-section at Mother Hospitals →
Yes, many women with preeclampsia — particularly late-onset, well-controlled preeclampsia — deliver vaginally, sometimes with induced labour. However, labour requires continuous fetal monitoring (CTG) and BP monitoring throughout. The anaesthetist is involved early, and the plan is to have epidural analgesia available to keep BP stable. You will be in an obstetric-led unit, not a midwifery-led unit.
Women who had preeclampsia have a recurrence risk of 10–20% in their next pregnancy — higher if the preeclampsia was early-onset (<34 weeks) or severe. In the next pregnancy, low-dose aspirin from 12 weeks and calcium supplementation significantly reduce this risk. Close antenatal monitoring from the first trimester is essential. Dr. Prashanthi Reddy will review your history before or early in your next pregnancy to plan preventive care.
Eclampsia is preeclampsia complicated by tonic-clonic seizures (fits). It is one of the most feared complications of preeclampsia and can occur before, during, or after delivery (up to 48 hours postpartum). Magnesium sulphate is the treatment — both to stop the seizure and to prevent further episodes. Eclampsia is a medical emergency requiring immediate IV magnesium sulphate and urgent delivery. With appropriate magnesium sulphate prophylaxis in high-risk women, eclampsia is largely preventable.
Magnesium sulphate is used to prevent and treat eclamptic seizures (fits). It does not lower blood pressure — separate antihypertensive medications are used for BP control. The Magpie Trial (2002) demonstrated that magnesium sulphate reduces the risk of eclampsia by 58% in women with preeclampsia. It is given as an IV loading dose followed by a continuous infusion for 24 hours, continued for 24 hours after delivery or the last seizure.
Yes — IVF pregnancies have a modestly higher risk of preeclampsia, estimated at 1.5–2× the baseline rate. The risk is highest in donor egg IVF, twin pregnancies, and women with underlying conditions such as PCOS or autoimmune disease. All IVF pregnancies at Mother Hospitals are monitored under a dedicated high-risk protocol. Our IVF programme →
Dr. E. Prashanthi Reddy · TGMC Reg: 50624