What Causes Preeclampsia in Pregnancy | Risk Factors and Symptoms

20 Nov What Causes Preeclampsia in Pregnancy | Risk Factors and Symptoms

Preeclampsia, a disease of vascular endothelial malfunction and vasospasm, generally affects pregnant women after 20 weeks of gestation.

While its severity ranges from mild to severe, Preeclampsia is easily diagnosed and treatable. However, it can also lead to several complications in case it goes untreated.

However, this is only a brief account of this medical condition. If you’re pregnant, there’s much more to know about preeclampsia.

Today’s in-depth analysis of this medical condition touches on the early signs, causes, complications, as well as some key tips for preventing preeclampsia.

What Can Cause Preeclampsia? [5 Common Reasons]

Some of the most common causes of preeclampsia can include:

1. Genes
2. Autoimmune disorders
3. Diet
4. Obstruction of blood vessels
5. Stressful lifestyle

Commonly characterized by hypertension and the presence of protein in the urine (also known as proteinuria), Preeclampsia involves a change in the systolic blood pressure and/or diastolic blood pressure.

Basically, it results in a systolic blood pressure reading of either equal to or exceeding 140 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure reading of either equal or above 90 mmHg at two occasions with an interval of 4 hours.

Blockquote Preeclampsia affects 3% to 7% of all pregnancies, bringing down the cases to very few numbers.

According to experts, it originates in the placenta when the blood vessels around it fail to develop correctly.

These nerve vessels grow out to be narrower, limiting the blood flow to the placenta.

Although what causes preeclampsia in pregnancy is still being researched, doctors have demonstrated a few major possible causes of Preeclampsia.

#1. Genetic Factors

According to studies, many genes with possibly no role in pregnancy can lead to a risk of preeclampsia.

Many other factors may interact with genes leading to the development of this medical condition.

Since it has been registered through the possible years that preeclampsia has a different genetic component, both maternal and paternal genes could be held responsible for the condition.

Is preeclampsia genetic?

According to an analysis of data from the Norwegian Medical Birth Registry from 1967 to 1992, identifying 400,000 with two pregnancies, evidence is present about paternally inherited fetal genomes.

This analysis found that:

• Men born from preeclampsia pregnancy were at a higher risk of fathering a preeclampsia pregnancy.
• First-degree and second-degree relatives of women with preeclampsia pregnancy could also influence the development of the same medical condition.

This analysis highlights genetic factors as one of the major causes of preeclampsia pregnancy.

#2. Autoimmune Disorders

According to the researchers at North Carolina State University, the placentas of women suffering from preeclampsia showed a higher level of genes responsible for autoimmune disorders.

Specifically, there was an increase in the enzyme levels involved in modifying sialic acid to SIAE.

Since sialic acid covers the entire cells of our body leading to an autoimmune disorder, it was confirmed that Preeclampsia is well associated with dysregulation of SIAE.

This clear association also throws light on the autoimmune disorder with the cascade attack of sialic acid being one possible cause of Preeclampsia.

#3. Diet

Though there wasn’t any direct connection on how diet can cause Preeclampsia, according to a study, consumption of fewer fruits and veggies during pregnancy can lead to preeclampsia.

This study was a facility-based unmatched case-control study conducted in two public hospitals.

It revealed that women who took a healthy diet during pregnancy had reduced chances of preeclampsia.

Altogether, the results pointed towards a healthy diet being a preventive measure for preeclampsia, making a point that poor diet is one of the possible causes of preeclampsia.

#4. Blood Vessel Issues

The development of narrow blood vessels or obstruction of the blood vessels due to various reasons is one of the most common causes of Preeclampsia.

During the early stages of pregnancy, blood vessels functionally widen up to provide a rich blood supply to the placenta.

Their failure to transform and evolve fully leads to failure in the development of the placenta as this limits the nutritional supply to the placenta.

Though there could be various factors behind the improper development of blood vessels, it does have a direct impact on pregnancy.

#5. Stress

High levels of stress can lead to major pregnancy complications like high blood pressure and heart disease.

There could be many factors that can contribute to stress during pregnancy like:

• Pregnancy discomforts
• Hormonal changes
• Lifestyle and physical changes.

But it is best if a mother avoids taking stress as much as possible to relieve any sort of risk for pregnancy complications. Here’s how big a role stress plays.

How Can Stress Cause Preeclampsia?

Although understanding the complete effect of stress on pregnancy is not possible, certain stress-induced hormones come into action leading to conditions like pre-eclampsia.

It could also affect the immune system leading to abnormal immunologic actions inviting such medical conditions.

Similarly, there also lie possible causes of post-partum pre-eclampsia.

What Causes Postpartum Preeclampsia?

There are some possible causes of the condition as drawn by experts and doctors:

• Uncontrolled high blood pressure before pregnancy
• High blood pressure during pregnancy
• Genetic factors
• Obesity
• Diabetes

However, irrespective of the causes, pre-eclampsia can still be treated if identified before it turns severe.

And the best possible way to do this is to identify the early signs of the conditions.

Symptoms of Preeclampsia

Pre-eclampsia commonly shows the following symptoms:

#1. Hypertension

It is a characteristic feature of pre-eclampsia.

However, there are also people suffering from eclampsia who don’t show any signs of current diagnostic criteria for hypertension.

The blood pressure in pre-eclampsia gradually rises to the hypertensive range, sometimes in the third trimester, but often during the 37th week.

Before reaching this range, the blood pressure usually rests at 135/85 mmHg (the normal range is 120/80 mmHg).

In some patients, hypertension could also appear as one of the postpartum preeclampsia symptoms.

#2. Abdominal Pain

Severe preeclampsia symptoms are characterized by pain in the epigastric and upper abdominal area.

It starts as a severe pain beginning at night in the epigastrium and gradually radiates to the back.

Abdominal pain can also be accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

#3. Headache

Headache too is one of the signs of severe preeclampsia. It can affect the temporal, frontal, or occipital parts of the head.

The pain starts as a throbbing and piercing sensation.

A characterizing feature of pre-eclampsia-induced headache is its persistence even after taking OTC medications.

#4. Visual Symptoms

These symptoms appear at a severe end of the disease symptoms. Some of the common signs include:

• Blurred vision
• Photopsia (appearance of flashes)
• Scotomata (gaps appear in light)

#5. Proteinuria

Proteinuria is the increase in the protein levels in urine. This could either appear when the pre-eclampsia is progressing or appear as a late sign.

Other signs:

• Increase in creatinine levels
• Thrombocytopenia – Increase in the platelet count

Some people are at a higher risk of developing symptoms and eventually the disorder itself.

Hence, it is important to be aware of the major risk factors that make you vulnerable to developing this pregnancy complication.

Preeclampsia Risk Factors

Some of the main risk factors of preeclampsia are quite simple to guess. These include:

1. A history of preeclampsia, i.e., if you had preeclampsia during the first pregnancy,
2. certain medical conditions,
3. obesity,
4. aging.

The risk factors listed here apply both to early and post-partum pre-eclampsia:

#1. History of Preeclampsia

This increases your risk of developing a pre-eclampsia pregnancy as compared to women with no such history.

In such a condition, the severity of the first preeclampsia regulates the magnitude of the risk.

Women who had severe characters of the condition during the second trimester of their first pregnancy have a higher risk of developing this condition.

In comparison, women without such a severity have a very low-risk factor with just 5 to 7% of them developing the condition.

#2. Medical Conditions

These pre-existing medical conditions could also make you susceptible to getting affected by this disorder:

• Pregestational diabetes – This could be because of various factors like existing renal disorder, obesity, high plasma levels, insulin resistance of the body, and lipid metabolism.
• An existing problem of hypertension – Chronic hypertension increases the risk of preeclampsia by five times. But it’s uncommon in women of reproductive age.

#3. Being Overweight During Pregnancy

Being overweight during pregnancy or suffering from obesity doubles your risk of preeclampsia and accounts for as much as 40% of all cases of preeclampsia.

#4. Age Factor

Older women have higher risk factors of abnormal pregnancies.

There have been fewer cases of women of younger age getting affected by the condition.

Moreover, other highly discussed risk factors of preeclampsia include:

• Usage of assisted reproductive technology
• Nulliparity
• Multifetal pregnancy

Moving further, we talk about the importance of treatment by throwing light upon what complications preeclampsia could lead to.

Effects of Preeclampsia on Your Pregnancy

Untreated preeclampsia can lead to several complications and even eclampsia death of your fetus.

Some of the grave complications that developed from preeclampsia include:

#1. Fetal Growth Restriction

Maternal ischemia caused by preeclampsia leads to damage of multiple organs like the brain, kidney, and liver, leading to restricted growth of the fetus and eventually fetus death.

Some of the factors that contribute to the same include:

• Lower levels of prostacyclin
• Increase in endothelin

#2. Abruptio Placentae

It is premature separation of the planted placenta from the uterus in the 20th week of gestation.

Common manifestations involve vaginal bleeding, uterine pain, and tenderness.

#3. Seizures (Eclampsia)

Seizures usually develop in one out of 400 women suffering from preeclampsia without any severe symptoms.

These seizures are not because of any brain injuries or malfunctioning.

#4. Pulmonary Edema

Common symptoms of the condition include:

• Dyspnea
• Chest pain

Moreover, it mainly leads to the swelling of the lower limbs, caused by the imbalance in body fluids.

Though it develops in the post-partum period, not all preeclamptic women suffer from this.

Clearly, preeclampsia raises many concerns when not treated on time. But as much as treatment is important, there are some other things you can do to prevent getting preeclampsia in the first place. 

Some of the common ways of preventing such a pregnancy disorder with the help of some natural steps are mentioned right below.

How to Prevent Preeclampsia Naturally?

Two of the most important pieces of advice for pregnant women to prevent preeclampsia are following a healthy diet and a suitable workout routine.

#1. Diet for Pregnancy

Eat a variety of foods in a day to keep yourself nourished with all the nutrients and prevent the chances of developing preeclampsia all naturally. Here are some tips.

• Fruits and veggies – Add up 70 mg of vitamin C to your diet with the help of citrus fruits like grapefruit and oranges. Keep a daily intake of 0.7 mg of folic acid to prevent any neural tube defects.
• Bread and grains  – According to your weight, consume at least 6 to 11 servings of pieces of bread and grains daily.
• Proteins – You need a lot of proteins to provide enough protein to your baby. Take at least 27 grams of proteins daily.
• Dairy products – 1000 mg of calcium is a daily requirement as it is essential for building strong bones and muscles.

#2. Workout for Pregnant Women

All exercises are not safe for pregnant women, hence always consult your physician before doing any exercises or planning a schedule.

In general, healthy pregnant women need at least 2 and half hours of moderate level exercise, which may include:

• Walking
• Swimming
• Riding a stationary bike
• Low impact aerobics
• Yoga
• Strength training

However, if you are already suffering from hypertension, we don’t advise you to do any such exercises as it wouldn’t be safe. The best course of action for personalized recommendations would be to consult your own physician.

ALSO READ: 7 Exercises for Diastasis Recti

FAQs

Right below are some of the commonly searched questions regarding preeclampsia. Hopefully, you will find these useful.

#1. What deficiency causes preeclampsia?

According to researchers, women suffering from Vitamin D deficiency in the first 26 weeks of pregnancy lie at risk of developing preeclampsia.

#2. Does low vitamin D cause preeclampsia?

Yes, studies have linked Vitamin D deficiency with preeclampsia. It was found in studies that Vitamin D deficiency can lead to poor development of the placenta.

#3. Does preeclampsia abdominal pain come and go?

No, the symptoms like abdominal pain appear as severe symptoms and need treatment. Some of the symptoms might exist even postpartum if left untreated.

#4. How quickly can preeclampsia develop?

Preeclampsia can develop as early as twenty weeks of gestation, but that’s a rare case as most of the symptoms start showing in the 34th week.  

In some cases, the symptoms appear after birth too, usually within 48 hours.

#5. How does preeclampsia affect the baby?

Preeclampsia can restrict the baby’s growth and even lead to the death of the fetus as it affects the placenta and limits the nutrients reaching the fetus.

When your fetus doesn’t receive any nutrients that support growth, it could even lead to preterm birth or low-weight birth.

#6. Can anxiety cause preeclampsia?

Yes, anxiety can lead to the release of many hormones that can affect blood pressure and lead to hypertension and gradually preeclampsia. So, manage stress, especially during pregnancy.

#7. Can stress cause birth defects?

Stress induces the production of catecholamine that decreases uterine blood flow resulting in hypoxia.

This can affect a variety of developmental processes and lead to birth defects, but that’s a rare case. Though, high levels of stress can often lead to pre-birth.

#8. What foods prevent preeclampsia?

According to researchers, a diet rich in fruits and veggies can help reduce the risk of preeclampsia. Adding olive oil and poultry can be helpful too.

Final Words

Preeclampsia blood pressure causes severe complications in women often leading to pre-birth and low-weight births.

Though there exists no specific cause of the development of such a disorder, there could be several possibilities like poor blood vessels development and even diet.

Early preeclampsia diagnosis is however possible on the basis of symptoms. This could also present easy and less complicated treatment solutions for the pregnancy disorder.

With this, we wrap up today’s blog, hoping that the information helped you get a better idea of preeclampsia. 

If you’re pregnant and suspect you might have the symptoms, it’s best to get in touch with your doctor right away. Meanwhile, eat healthily, reduce stress by avoiding stressful situations, and surround yourself with close ones.

If you’ve any more queries, drop them right below and share the blog to spread awareness.