Gestational Hypertention

GESTATIONAL HYPERTENTION

Do scientists really know what cause hypertension during pregnancy? Researchers

have focused on finding the causes of gestational hypertension for centuries, but yet it still remains a mystery. According to the Southern Medical Journal in volume 2

published in 1909, scientists were having some controversy concerning treatment of

immediate cesarean section for puerperal eclampsia. Gestational hypertension formerly

known as pregnancy-induced hypertension or toxemia of pregnancy is the second-leading

cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States comprises almost 15 percent of

pregnancy related deaths; whereas, throughout the world these conditions are responsible

for more than one third of maternal deaths. This disorder is mostly encountered

during the twentieth week of pregnancy in women who have had normal blood pressure prior to

pregnancy. Gestational hypertension-preeclampsia or eclampsia is used to describe

conditions that range from mild to severe( to severe what, it sounds like you didn't finish the sentence?). Mild is having no symptoms and severe is

associated with organ damage such as brain, kidney, liver, lungs, and placenta causing

significant morbidity and mortality for both mother and fetus.

Gestational hypertension has no known causes, however; studies suggest that this

disorder may be associated with many risk factors such as obesity, low socioeconomic

group, history of preeclampsia in previous pregnancy, African/American ethnicity, family

history of preeclampsia, women who are younger than twenty years old or older than

forty, multifetal gestation, presence of diabetes, and nulliparity, women with poor

nutrition, history of hypertension, diabetes, or renal disease. Im a lil confused as to what you are trying to say... what did the scientist prove to be lack eveidence be a little bit more about that ecause you are ta;lking about two different things in your intro? The first source you use is talking about C sections??? Double check that for me and see if you have a source that supports the hypertension theory? I didn't get to read the whole thing as you predicted but I looked thru the conclusion and the intro so hopefully that helps a little. Goodluck, love nadege.

Gestational hypertension is considered mild when it is asymptomatic and there is no

presence protein in urine. Women in this category have blood pressure of 140/90 mm Hg

on two or more occasions and at least six hours apart. The goal of treatment is to prevent

further complications. Women may be placed on bed rest at home, she is encouraged to

rest as much as possible in the lateral recumbent position to improve uteroplacental blood

flow, lower her blood pressure, and promote diuresis. In addition, frequent antepartal

visits and blood tests are conducted. Women are advised to measure their blood pressure

daily and to report any increase and daily fetal movement counts is also emphasized,

mothers are instructed to report any decrease in movements to their healthcare providers.

They were encouraged to eat a balanced, nutritional diet with no sodium restriction.

Women with this mild disorder may be at increase rate of induced-labor and cesarean

delivery.

In the other hand, continuous blood pressure measurements greater than 140/90 mm

Hg are considered severe gestational hypertension. Preeclampsia is considered a

diagnosis when there is presence of significant amount of protein in urine and symptoms

such as headache or abdominal pain, or abnormal laboratory tests, especially low platelet

count and abnormal liver enzymes are present. Women with this disorder have increase

rates of seizures, oliguria, fetal growth restriction, pulmonary edema, and abnormal liver

enzymes. The risks posed by preeclampsia to the fetus include severe retardation,

hypoxemia, acidosis, premature birth, and death. Aggressive treatments can prevent

preeclampsia to progress to eclampsia.

According to the National High Blood Pressure Education Program, eclampsia is the

occurrence, in a woman with peeclampsia, of seizures that cannot be attributed to other

causes. Patients with eclampsia have large amount of protein in urine and also sustained

blood pressure measurements of 160/110. This disorder has many complications such as

convulsions, generalized edema, acute renal or liver damage, coagulopathy, cerebral

hemorrhage, right upper quadrant pain. Hence, with early detection of this compound of

symptoms, eclampsia may be preventable. According to Southern Medical Association in

2004, preventative measures would be most advantageous if: preeclampsia is treated

properly, the patient is started on anticonvulsant therapy on time, or the patient is

delivered before