Babies from

Preeclampsia Mother
 Hypertension high blood pressure

Pregnancy associated hypertension occurs

only during pregnancy

Preeclampsia high blood pressure, edema,

protein in the urine

Pre before ; Eclampsia seizures

If preeclampsia becomes severe or is not treated

seizures may occur
 Severe preeclampsia liver, kidney problems,
blood clotting and other problems HELLP
Syndrome
H Hemolysis or breakdown of RBC
EL Elevated values on tests of liver function
LP Low platelets

If HELLP occurs baby must be delivered even if it is

very premature.
The only cure to preeclampsia delivery of the baby
 How does preeclampsia affect the baby ?
If high blood pressure occurs only in the last few
weeks before due date baby is fine
If occurs earlier both mother and baby may
develop problems
The small blood vessels in the placenta tighten
allowing less blood and nutrients to get to the baby
 Problems in infants of mothers with high blood
pressure includes :
Still birth
IUGR
Need more help breathing at birth
More likely to need oxygen in the hours after birth
Low blood sugar
High number of RBC
Low number of WBC
PDA
 Slow to feed
Low muscle tone
Low calcium
Low blood pressure

Because these babies are usually premature the can

have the common problems of premature babies.
 How are these problems treated
IUGR
Need more help breathing after birth & O2 after
birth at birth there are changes in the blood
circulation in the womb very little blood goes to
the lungs placenta does most of the work
immediately after birth the blood vessels to the lungs
must expand allowing more blood flow to the
lungs this process takes longer in infant from high
blood pressure mother persistence of the fetal
circulation primary pulmonary hypertension
 Low blood sugar
PDA
High number of RBC usually does not need any
treatment if extremely high doctors can remove
some of the babys blood and replace it with a
solution that does not contain RBC
Low number of WBC usually this will come up on
their own over the first week or two occasionaly
treated by gamma globulin or WBC from the blood
bank. Babies with low WBC greater risk for
infections while in the nursery
 Low platelets platelets help in blood clotting if
its only a little low no treatment may be needed if
severely low the baby may need transfusion of
platelets to prevent bleeding
Slow to feed, low tone, low calcium usually result
from the use of magnesium sulfat in the mother
improve slowly after a few days the baby may not
pass stool or be able to feed for a few days
 Low blood pressure due to medicines given to the
mother to lower the her blood pressure common
problem in sick babis even if the mother does not
have high blood pressure
Will my babies have high blood pressure in later life
?

Children may be at risk for high blood pressure later

in life if :

Their mother continues to have high blood

pressure after pregnancy

High blood pressure runs in the family