Pre-eclampsia and Pregnancy-induced Hypertension

Pregnant women occasionally experience an increase in blood pressure known as gestational hypertension or pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH). In a more severe condition called pre-eclampsia, a rise in blood pressure is accompanied by protein in the urine and sometimes by sudden weight gain, swelling in the face or hands, and other symptoms. When left untreated, pre-eclampsia can lead to seizures (called eclampsia) or liver, kidney, or bleeding problems in the mother and distress or delayed growth in the fetus. Unless pre-eclampsia is mild, doctors usually seek to deliver the baby early.