Summarising maternal and fetal complications of severe pre-eclampsia
Asphyxia is pronounced 'ass-fix-ee-ah'.
'Acute' refers to a condition that begins suddenly and rapidly becomes very serious.
Table 19.1 Common complications of severe pre-eclampsia in the mother and the fetus.
| Maternal complications | Fetal complications |
|---|---|
| Eclampsia | Placental abruption |
| Intracranial haemorrhage (bleeding inside the skull) | Intrauterine asphyxia (severe shortage of oxygen in the uterus) |
| Anaemia | IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction) |
| Low platelet count, poor blood clotting and risk of bleeding | Premature delivery |
| Acute kidney failure | IUFD (intrauterine fetal death) |
| Acute liver failure, maybe even liver rupture | Respiratory distress after birth(early neonatal asphyxia) |
| Fluid in the lungs (pulmonary oedema) | Mental retardation |
| Heart failure | |
| Temporary total blindness |
Last modified: Monday, 14 July 2014, 10:17 AM