[LMB] there's a word for it

[Patricia A. Swan]

At 02:19 PM 8/1/2006, Lois McMaster Bujold wrote:
>I've been trying for three days to remember the name of that 
>toxic condition of pregnancy where you get edema and seizures 
>(high blood pressure as well?)   Usually missing vocabulary 
>comes floating back to me at odd moments, but not this one.  Anybody?
>
>Ta, L.

The full on, killing-you-right-now state is called "eclampsia" 
and can persist up to 72 hours post birth.  Pre-eclampsia is the 
initial stages of the process when the blood pressure and other 
factors soar and is basically the warning that you are going to 
be dead-real-soon if something isn't done immediately.  It's the 
reason they keep such a careful eye on blood pressure and stuff 
during a pregnancy.  The chances of it happening are much higher 
in women who don't get adequate pre-natal care though it can 
happen to some woman no matter how good their pre-natal 
care.  It's also one of the risk factors for end-stage renal 
disease in women.  Azalais mentioned that a lot of the women who 
she sees at the transplant center she works at need a kidney 
transplant because they kept trying to have babies even when it 
was killing them and their kidneys.

Hope this helps,

Pat in North Carolina


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