Preeclampsia

Author: Dr. Vrolijk   |   Updated: August 23, 2025   |   Disclaimer   |   Review Process   |   References

Author: Dr. Vrolijk   

Updated: August 23, 2025   

Disclaimer   |   Review Process   |   References

Hearing you might have preeclampsia can be scary. You probably have questions about what it means, what to watch for, and what comes next.

This page explains what preeclampsia is and how it’s diagnosed. It covers what happens after you give birth, how preeclampsia affects your health, and what you can do.

What Is Preeclampsia?

Preeclampsia is a serious condition that affects multiple parts of the body. It can develop as early as 20 weeks into pregnancy but usually happens in the third trimester. It can also develop up to 6 weeks after giving birth.

 

Doctors diagnose preeclampsia when someone has:

  • New high blood pressure
  • Evidence of damage to part of the body (like kidneys)

Most People Will Have Healthy Babies with Early Treatment

Doctors have ways to control preeclampsia. The earlier they catch it, the easier it is to control. 

Preeclampsia is can snowball. As it progresses, it causes more problems that then create even more problems. Catching it early stops it from snowballing into something that is much harder to control. 

Symptoms of Preeclampsia

  • Severe symptoms: Very high blood pressure (160/110+), trouble breathing, severe or persistant headache
  • Vision/neurological: Seeing spots, vision problems
  • Physical changes: Sudden face/hand swelling, unusual belly or shoulder pain
  • Other concerning signs: Persistent nausea/vomiting after 20 weeks, fast weight gain

Remember: You can develop preeclampsia up to 6 weeks after giving birth. These warning signs apply after delivery too.

If You're Worried

  • Learn the symptoms, so you know what to look for. 
  • Check your blood pressure, but you don’t need to check more than twice a day unless your healthcare team tells you to. Checking more often usually isn’t helpful and can increase anxiety.
  • Share your concerns at your prenatal appointments
  • Tell your doctor about any new symptoms that worry you or feel different from normal pregnancy changes

What to Expect if You Have It

While You're Pregnant

  • You may need close monitoring. This could be in the hospital if your blood pressure is very high or if you have symptoms like headache or vision changes. Most people can stay home and have more frequent check-in appointments. This way you can keep getting the best medical treatment for you and your baby.
  • Some people need medicine to help keep your blood pressure from getting too high and to prevent seizures, a serious complication of preeclampsia.
  • Your birth plan might be adjusted. Vaginal birth is usually possible. You may need medicine to help your body start labor.

After You Give Birth

  • You’ll keep getting medicine and checks until the preeclampsia gets better
  • You may need to stay in the hospital longer than planned
  • You’ll see your doctor again 7-10 days after you go home
  • You’ll need to check your blood pressure at home
  • You might need blood pressure medicine at home for a while

What Does This Mean for Future Pregnancies?

Most people who had preeclampsia won’t have blood pressure problems in their next pregnancy. This means out of 10 people who had preeclampsia, 8 won’t have blood pressure problems in their next pregnancy. 2 out of 10 will. 

After Preeclampsia: Your Next Pregnancy

If You Want to Get Pregnant Again

  • Low-dose aspirin (81 mg) may help prevent preeclampsia if you’re at high risk. Ask your doctor whether this is right for you.
  • Maintaining a healthy weight between pregnancies may help
  • Exercise may be helpful

How Might This Affect My Health?

People who had preeclampsia have higher risk of health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure later in life. The risk is higher if you had to deliver early (before 34 weeks) due to preeclampsia or if you had preeclampsia in multiple pregnancies.

What You Can Do

  • Let new doctors or providers know that you had preeclampsia
  • Pick 1-2 of the lifestyle tips for healthy blood pressure 
  • Avoid smoking. If trying to quit, ask your doctor for help. There are medicines that can make it easier. Few people can quit cold turkey.
  • Get regular check-ups to catch problems early

Quick Answers

Preeclampsia does increase the risk of losing a baby. But, most babies are safe and healthy with medical care. The key is staying connected with your healthcare team and speaking up if you have concerning symptoms.

This is not your fault. Preeclampsia happens because of problems with how the placenta develops early in pregnancy. Nothing you did or didn’t do caused this.

Yes, preeclampsia goes away after delivery. Most people recover within the first week. Your medical team will want to follow up with you to make sure you recover completely.

 

Preeclampsia does put you at risk for some health problems in the future, like heart disease and diabetes. Talk to your healthcare provider about how to watch out for these problems.

 

Things you can do now to lower your risk include:

  • Breastfeeding longer than 12 months
  • Keeping a healthy weight
  • Avoiding smoking
  • Healthy diet
  • Regular exercise

It depends on when preeclampsia starts. If it starts before 34 weeks, the baby might get less blood and nutrients through the placenta. This can cause the baby to not grow as much. If it’s after 34 weeks, it usually won’t affect the baby’s growth.

This is why doctors will do ultrasounds more often. They’re checking how much blood the baby is getting and if it’s growing well. These checks help do everything possible to keep the baby healthy.

No, stress doesn’t cause preeclampsia. Preeclampsia happens when the placenta doesn’t develop normal blood vessels early in pregnancy, as explained above. However, managing stress is still important for your overall health during pregnancy.

Doctors don’t have a sure way to prevent it. Ask your doctor if low-dose aspirin (81 mg) might help you. They can help you decide if the possible side effects of taking aspirin are worth it.

 

Other things that may help:

  • Making sure your blood pressure is healthy before and during pregnancy
  • Following recommended weight gain during pregnancy
  • Regular exercise (like walking or swimming)

Even if you do everything right, you can still develop preeclampsia. That’s why your medical team will check at every visit.

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August, Phyllis, and Arun Jeyabalan. “Preeclampsia: Prevention.” UpToDate, Vol, 2017, 1–23.

Bisson, Courtney, Sydney Dautel, Easha Patel, Sunitha Suresh, Patricia Dauer, and Sarosh Rana. “Preeclampsia Pathophysiology and Adverse Outcomes during Pregnancy and Postpartum.” Frontiers in Medicine 10 (March 16, 2023): 1144170. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2023.1144170.

“Gestational Hypertension and Preeclampsia: ACOG Practice Bulletin, Number 222.” Obstetrics and Gynecology 135, no. 6 (June 2020): e237–60. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000003891.

Harmon QE, Huang L, Umbach DM, et al. Risk of Fetal Death With Preeclampsia. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2015;125(3):628. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000000696
 

Karrar, Shahd A., Daniel J. Martingano, and Peter L. Hong. “Preeclampsia.” In StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing, 2024. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK570611/.

Luger, Richard K., and Benjamin P. Kight. “Hypertension In Pregnancy.” In StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing, 2024. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430839/.

Norwitz, E. R. “Preeclampsia: Antepartum Management and Timing of Delivery.” Lockwood, CJ Https://Www. Uptodate. Com/Contents/Preeclampsia-Antepartummanagement-and-Timing-Ofdelivery, 2022.

Oostwaard MF van, Langenveld J, Schuit E, et al. Recurrence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: an individual patient data metaanalysis. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2015;212(5):624.e1-624.e17. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2015.01.009

Phyllis, A., M. Baha, and M. Sibai. “Preeclampsia: Clinical Features and Diagnosis.” American Medical Network 21, no. 6 (2013): 4–52.

“Weight Gain During Pregnancy.” Accessed September 29, 2024. https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2013/01/weight-gain-during-pregnancy.

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