Have You Talked With Your OBGYN About Pre-eclampsia? It’s Often Overlooked

Pregnancy can be a beautiful thing or in some cases, a life or death situation. For Dr. Chaniece Wallace this was a moment she had to put her baby’s life over her own. Wallace was a pediatric chief resident at Indiana University school of medicine who was scheduled to give birth to her daughter Charlotte on Nov. 20th. Wallace developed pre-eclampsia a month prior which lead her to immediate delivery in October. She died due to postpartum complications after giving birth. 

Pre-eclampsia is known to be a “tragic trend” for black women especially because they’re 60% more likely to develop this complication than any other race. So what’s pre-eclampsia? According to “My Clinic.org”, this complication increases blood pressure and causes damage to major organs such as the liver and kidneys. The most common symptoms are swelling of the hands, feet, or entire body also protein being detected in the urine. At the beginning of the first twenty weeks of pregnancy, women can show signs of pre-eclampsia, but signs can come much later also.

The final stage of pre-eclampsia is called eclampsia this is when a woman experiences serve seizures or even a stroke.

“Pre-eclampsia typically has a rapid onset, “ said the Academic staff of the college of nursing Alyson Lippman. “It involves elevated blood pressure and, often, protein in the urine. Extra protein spills into the urine from the bloodstream where, if left untreated, it can cause damage to organs such as the kidney, liver, and placenta, which brings nutrients and oxygen to the baby. As it progresses, pre-eclampsia can cause additional symptoms, such as headache, blurry or spotty vision, and swelling of the hands and face. If left untreated, pre-eclampsia can lead to a seizure, organ damage, blood clotting instability, and death.” 

In some cases, cesarean sections (c-section) are performed to induced labor. The procedure requires an incision to be made by the woman’s uterus to safely remove the baby. This procedure is another life or death situation, but for Christin Aldrin, a mother that had two c-section, her mind was already made up. 

“When they pulled me from the room to the elevator I’ve had a whole awakening and realizing that because things were so unknown at this point that it’s possible either my baby or I was going to make it,” said Christin. “So on the table, I was already at peace that I was okay to go as long as the baby was healthy. I’m thankful to be alive and have two healthy babies that I love so much.”

Not a lot of women are aware of how unpredictable a pregnancy could be. A healthy woman with no medical conditions or past complications can undergo an emergency c-section on the day of delivery.

“I am so appreciative of this question,” says Christin. “Oddly it’s not asked as much as it should in conversations about my pregnancies. Everything was going as planned, no epidural and my body was operating fine. After about six hours after induction, I got the epidural, went in perfectly, and apparently I was a champ! Everyone was ready and I begin to push, I’m told to stop, I was then asked to push again. All of a sudden she became frantic yelling orders about to an emergency cesarean.”

“What it means to me that Black women are more likely to develop pre-eclampsia than other races is that there is a call to action and, as nurses and healthcare providers, we must listen,” says Alyson Lippman. “We have to be more vigilant with prenatal and preventative care for Black women to reduce rates of pre-eclampsia and its complications and improve outcomes for moms, babies, and families. We have to provide care with cultural humility, acknowledge and understand the risks related to race, and provide care that meets these needs.”

Pre-eclampsia is a serious issue that doesn’t get a lot attention as it should. In the black community, 60% of women are more like to develop pre-eclampsia than any other race. We need to bring awareness to this issue to stop the trade and save lives.