Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
close window
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffComplications of postpartum preeclampsia include:
- Postpartum eclampsia. Postpartum eclampsia is essentially postpartum preeclampsia plus seizures. Postpartum eclampsia can permanently damage vital organs, including your brain, liver and kidneys. Left untreated, postpartum eclampsia can cause coma. In some cases, the condition is fatal.
- Pulmonary edema. This life-threatening lung condition occurs when excess fluid develops in the lungs.
- Stroke. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted or severely reduced, depriving brain tissue of oxygen and food. A stroke is a medical emergency.
- Thromboembolism. Thromboembolism is the blockage of a blood vessel by a blood clot that travels from another part of the body. This condition is also a medical emergency.
- HELLP syndrome. HELLP syndrome — which stands for hemolysis (the destruction of red blood cells), elevated liver enzymes and low platelet count — can be life-threatening.
As with preeclampsia, postpartum preeclampsia might also increase your risk of future cardiovascular disease.
References
- Al-Safi Z, et al. Delayed postpartum preeclampsia and eclampsia. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2011;118:1102.
- Delayed postpartum preeclampsia: An experience of 151 cases. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2004;190:1464.
- Yancey LM, et al. Postpartum preeclampsia: Emergency department presentation and management. The Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2011;40:380.
- Andrus SS, et al. Postpartum preeclampsia occurring after resolution of antepartum preeclampsia. The Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2010;38:168.
- Ascarelli MH, et al. Postpartum preeclampsia management with furosemide: A randomized clinical trial. Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2005;105:29.
- Sibai BM, et al. Diagnosis and management of atypical preeclampsia-eclampsia. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2009;200:481.e1.
- Berens P. Overview of postpartum care. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed March 1, 2012.
- Gabbe SG, et al. Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-4/0/1528/0.html. Accessed March 2, 2012.
- Your guide to breastfeeding. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health. http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/breastfeeding-guide. Accessed Feb. 24, 2012.
- Norwitz ER, et al. Preeclampsia: Management and prognosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index. Accessed March 5, 2012.
- Pregnancy: Your guide to lowering high blood pressure. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/issues/preg/preg.htm. Accessed March 5, 2012.
- August P, et al. Clinical features and diagnosis of preeclampsia. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed March 5, 2012.
- Steegers EA, et al. Pre-eclampsia. The Lancet. 2010;376:631.
- Sibai B. HELLP syndrome. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed March 5, 2012.
- Norwitz ER. Eclampsia. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed March 5, 2012.
- Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary. 32nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: W.B. Saunders; 2011. http://dorlands.com/index.jsp. Accessed March 5, 2012.
- Larsen WI, et al. Risk factors for late postpartum preeclampsia. Journal of Reproductive Medicine. 2012;57:35.
- Harms RW (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 7, 2012.
Find Mayo Clinic on