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Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder which can occur during pregnancy and the period after giving birth. Though moderately uncommon (affecting approximately 5-8% of all pregnancies), it is a serious condition that should be monitored closely once diagnosed.

Many women suffering from preeclampsia will complain of swelling, weight gain, headaches, and visual disturbances as early as the middle of the second trimester; however, in rapidly advancing cases, the patient may notice few obvious symptoms, if any. Since the onset of preeclampsia is often very sudden and the condition will progress quickly, proper prenatal care is an absolute must for avoiding the serious risks posed to both mother and baby. Prenatal care providers will monitor the mother's blood pressure and look for the presence of protein in the mother's urine in an effort to catch a case of preeclampsia as early as possible.

There is no "cure" for preeclampsia. The only way to effectively eliminate the risks associated with the disorder is to deliver the baby. In some severe cases, a doctor may favor the risks of a premature delivery over allowing the pregnancy to continue; however, in many cases bed rest, strict monitoring of the mother's blood pressure, or even hospitalization can afford the unborn child much-needed extra days, or even weeks, inside the womb.

Hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, including preeclampsia, are among the leading causes of death for mothers and infants. Worldwide, more than 76,000 deaths each year can be linked to such disorders. Although the statistics may sound frightening, preeclampsia is usually easily diagnosed and can be effectively managed. Therefore, instituting a proper and consistent prenatal care plan is a pregnant mother's first defense toward avoiding unnecessary risks and ensuring early diagnosis and proper treatment of all such pregnancy-related conditions.

Resources

General Pregnancy

Pregnancy at About.com (http://pregnancy.about.com/)
Pregnancy and Parenting at iVillage (http://parenting.ivillage.com/)
Pregnancy Symptoms (http://www.epigee.org/pregnancy/symptoms.html)
Top Ten Signs You Might be Pregnant (http://www.babycenter.com/pregnancy-symptoms)
Pregnancy Symptoms from MedicineNet (http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=79528)
Pregnancy at BabyZone (http://www.babyzone.com/loadpage/topic.asp?topicid=125628)

Childbirth

ChildBirth.org (http://www.childbirth.org/)
Childbirth on WikiPedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childbirth)
Childbirth Photos and Videos (http://technorati.com/tag/childbirth)
National Institute of Health (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childbirth.html)
Unassisted Childbirth (http://www.unassistedchildbirth.com/)
Pain Medications During Labor (http://www.babies.sutterhealth.org/laboranddelivery/ld_meds.html)
Labor Pain Meds at Mayo Clinic (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/labor-and-delivery/PR00105)

Complications

Pregnancy complications at BabyCenter.com (http://www.babycenter.com/pregnancy/pregcomplications/index)
Bacterial Vaginosis (http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/bacterialvaginoses.htm)
Incompetent Cervix (http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/incompetentcervix.html)
Chronic Hypertension (http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/pregnancy/pregcomplications/1427404.html)
Ectopic or Tubal Pregnancy (http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_newborn/pregnancy/ectopic.html)
Gestational Diabetes (http://www.diabetes.org/gestational-diabetes.jsp)
Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) (http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/women/pregnancy/fetal/313.html)
Iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy (http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/pregnancy/pregcomplications/3073.html)
Placenta Previa (http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/placentaprevia/a/previa.htm)
Placental Abruption (http://folsomobgyn.com/placental_abruption.htm)
Pre-Eclampsia (http://www.preeclampsia.org/)