Warning Signs & Symptoms | Recognizing Preeclampsia & HELLP Syndrome

Signs and symptoms of preeclampsia (after 20 weeks of pregnancy):

• Blood pressure readings at or abovve 140/90 (either number), OR 30/15 points over your baseline, if you normally run very low. (Elevated BP before 20 weeks is considered chronic hypertension. If you are a chronic hypertensive, you may be allowed to run higher, but for chronic or gestational hypertension, BP that isn't controlled by meds or a doctor-prescribed increase in meds warrants a call to your doctor for evaluation for preeclampsia.)
• Headache that is not relieved by usual measures (such as acetominophen, fluids, electrolytes, sleep, caffeine).
• Vision changes such as blurry vision, tunnel vision, black spots in the vision.
• Sudden weight gain, of around 5 lbs or more in a week.
• Swelling of hands beyond not being able to wear rings.
• Swelling of your face, especially around lips and eyelids.
• Decrease in urine output when compared with fluid intake, especially if accompanied by swelling.
• Foamy or cola-colored urine.
• Nausea or vomiting after first trimester.
• Upper right quadrant pain (under the rib cage, possibly radiating to right shoulder).
• Shortness of breath.
• Hyperreflexia, noticed as anxious feeling.
• General sense of feeling unwell, confusion, or sense of “impending doom,” in conjunction with other symptoms.
• Seizures.

Signs and symptoms of HELLP syndrome:

• Upper right quadrant pain (under the rib cage, possibly radiating to right shoulder).
• Sudden vomiting or severe nausea after the first trimester
• Unrelenting “heartburn” type pain (that is not actually heartburn).