Eclampsia is a condition that causes pregnant women to experience seizures and is an emergency during pregnancy. This condition is rare, but cannot be underestimated because it has the potential to threaten the lives of pregnant women and fetuses.
Eclampsia is a serious complication of preeclampsia, which is one of the dangerous complications of pregnancy. Although rare, eclampsia is a dangerous condition because it can make pregnant women experience seizures and lose consciousness.
If not treated immediately, eclampsia has a high risk of threatening the lives of pregnant women and their fetuses. Therefore, pregnant women need to know what the symptoms are and what factors can increase the risk of eclampsia, so that this condition can be prevented.
What are the Causes and Risk Factors for Eclampsia?
Until now, the cause of preeclampsia and eclampsia in pregnant women is not known with certainty. However, there are several conditions that are known to increase the risk of developing eclampsia, including:
- Placental disorders
- Age of pregnant women more than 35 years or less than 20 years
- History of preeclampsia or eclampsia in previous pregnancies
- Certain diseases or medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, kidney disorders, and autoimmune diseases
- Malnutrition (malnutrition) during pregnancy
- Twin pregnancy or more
How to Detect Symptoms of Eclampsia?
Before experiencing eclampsia, initially pregnant women will experience preeclampsia first. Preeclampsia is characterized by high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine. This condition can be asymptomatic, it can also cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, visual disturbances, muscle aches, and headaches.
If left untreated, preeclampsia can progress to dangerous eclampsia. When you have eclampsia, pregnant women may experience signs and symptoms of preeclampsia plus the following symptoms:
- Seizures
- Confusion
- Nervous
- Loss of consciousness or coma
- Hard to breathe
- Dizziness and headache
- Stomach pain
If pregnant women experience symptoms of preeclampsia or eclampsia, immediately go to a doctor or hospital emergency room for help.
How to Treat Eclampsia?
Eclampsia is an emergency condition in pregnant women that needs to be treated immediately. If eclampsia is not treated immediately, this condition has a high risk of causing dangerous complications, namely:
- Permanent brain damage
- Stroke due to cerebral hemorrhage
- Kidney and liver damage
- Fetal distress
- Death
Eclampsia can be treated by giving birth to a baby by caesarean section. However, before the operation is performed, the doctor can give medicines to treat the symptoms of eclampsia and stabilize the condition of the pregnant woman.
Some types of drugs that will usually be given by doctors to treat eclampsia include magnesium sulfate, anticonvulsant drugs, blood pressure lowering drugs, and corticosteroids. If eclampsia causes the pregnant woman to be unable to breathe, the doctor may also provide breathing assistance through intubation.
Preeclampsia and eclampsia cannot be completely prevented. However, the risk of eclampsia can be reduced by routinely checking the condition of the pregnancy to the obstetrician. That way, preeclampsia can be detected early so it doesn't progress to eclampsia.
