Being overweight can interfere with your ability to sustain a healthy pregnancy. The health risks for you and your baby increase as excess pounds are added. For example, you may experience high blood pressure, diabetes and complications with...
Your doctor may find out that you have high levels of protein in your blood or your urine when running blood and urine tests. Eating a lot of protein does not cause high protein levels in the blood or the urine. If the cause is unexplained, your...
Preeclampsia and eclampsia are medical conditions that can occur in pregnancy. Though they are sometimes referred to as toxemias, there is no evidence that a toxin is involved in these conditions. Preeclampsia can result in too much protein in the...
Pre-eclampsia, a condition characterized by high blood pressure, protein in the urine and fluid retention can lead to some of the potentially deadliest side effects in pregnancy. Pre-eclampsia, also called pregnancy-induced hypertension or...
Calcium and magnesium help maintain healthy, strong bones and assist in muscle and nerve activities. These two minerals help the muscles to relax or contract. Calcium is involved in blood clotting -- protecting you from losing too much blood,...
The American Association of Family Physicians (AAFP) defines toxemia, which is more commonly known as preeclampsia, as a condition characterized by development of maternal high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine after the 20th...
Your bones and teeth hold nearly all the calcium in your body, but the 1 percent dissolved in your blood and soft tissues plays a critical part in keeping other body systems functioning properly. Muscle movement, heartbeat and many other body...
Magnesium in the form of magnesium sulfate is the most common treatment for severe preeclampsia and eclampsia in the United States. A disorder that develops in the latter part of pregnancy, preeclampsia causes an increase in blood pressure along...
Hypertension, defined as blood pressure of over 140/90, occurs in 5 to 10 percent of pregnancies. There's a difference between chronic hypertension and pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), which develops after the 20 week of pregnancy and can...
Magnesium sulfate has long been considered as a treatment for high blood pressure. An article published in the journal "California and Western Medicine" in 1934 implied that at the time, intravenous magnesium sulfate was the only effective option...
Acute renal failure is the sudden loss of the kidneys' ability to process and remove waste products from the blood. Symptoms include a decrease in urine output, swelling of the feet and ankles, elevated blood pressure and difficulty breathing due...
While pregnancy is often one of the happiest times in a woman's life, determining which medications and supplements are safe during pregnancy can be difficult. For centuries, herbalists and holistic practitioners have used the oil of the evening...
Eclampsia is a serious complication of pre-eclampsia, which is also called pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) and toxemia. In PIH, blood pressure rises, fluid is retained in the face and hands and protein appears in the urine. Headache, blurred...
Even the healthiest woman is susceptible to complications during pregnancy. Pregnancy is a time when the woman's body undergoes tremendous changes in preparation for the 40-week long maturation of fetus and its subsequent delivery. Being aware of...
Dr. Tom Brewer's work in the field of women's health focused on using better nutrition to treat the symptoms of pre-eclampsia, according to Birthing Naturally. Pre-eclampsia is a medical condition in which pregnant women develop hypertension as...
Pregnancy is an exciting and scary time for new parents-to-be. Many women will make multiple phone calls to their physician throughout the course of their pregnancy. There are many different signs and symptoms during pregnancy, but many women...
Toxemia of pregnancy, more commonly known as pre-eclampsia or pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH), is a serious complication of pregnancy that occurs in 3 to 7 percent of pregnant women, the Merck Manual states. Preeclampsia causes elevated blood...
Pregnancy causes many physical changes in a woman's body including aches and pains. Headaches are often an unwelcome side effect during what is normally a very happy and exciting period in a woman's life. It can be difficult to pinpoint the exact...
Leukopenia is a medical condition characterized by a low white blood cell count. Specifically, there is a reduced volume of leukocytes, the specialized cells that seek out and target invading pathogens, leaving the body vulnerable to infection. As...
Pregnant and nonpregnant woman may have the same risk factors and side effects from high blood pressure. Gaining weight from pregnancy can increase these risk factors even more and should be taken very seriously. Prenatal care is of the utmost...
About 1 in 100 women of childbearing age has diabetes before becoming pregnant, and most can have successful pregnancies and healthy babies, the March of Dimes says. However, if you're diabetic, you face special challenges to avoid complications...
It can be frightening to hear your pediatrician say that your child has a weak pulse, but there are many common causes for this symptom, including hormonal and nutrient imbalances and overexposure to some drugs and toxins. Unusual causes include...
Vitamin A occurs in high concentrations in fruits and vegetables such as carrots, kale, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, collard greens, spinach, apricots, broccoli and cantaloupe. These foods are classed as provitamin A carotenoids, and...
Pregnancy-induced hypertension, also known as pre-eclampsia, toxemia of pregnancy, or by the acronym PIH, is a serious condition. Symptoms include high blood pressure, swelling, and protein in your urine. The usual treatment for PIH is bed rest...
Your body needs magnesium, a mineral found in some foods. Some proponents claim that magnesium chloride, a magnesium supplement, is more bioavailable than other forms. The supplement treats magnesium deficiency and reduces risk of some diseases....
Each phase of your pregnancy can be accompanied by new -- and often uncomfortable -- symptoms. For example, morning sickness often occurs during the first trimester, and swelling can occur particularly in your third trimester. The swelling tends...
Finding out you're pregnant can be a frightening, albeit exciting, adventure. When things are going smoothly, this special time can often feel magical, and a mom-to-be may feel better than ever. But things don't always go as planned. If you're...
Headaches are one of the most commonly reported symptoms among pregnant women. There are a number of likely causes. Some are quite serious, but most pose little threat to the mother or child. If you are pregnant, always keep your doctor apprised...
