Pregnancy induced hypertension goes by many names. You may have heard the terms toxemia or pre-eclampisa. All of these are parts of the same animal. For reasons we don’t understand, some women develop high blood pressure at the end of pregnancy. For some this is self limited and mild and does not require intervention. For others, it can be very dangerous and requires delivery. As obstetricians we are always on the lookout for this as we consider it our nemesis. Mostly because we have no idea why it happens. You can help your provider by keeping an eye out for some symptoms that could occur between appointments. We would like you to call your provider if you develop a headache that wont’ go away despite tylenol, water and rest. We would also like to hear from you if you notice pain, dull or sharp, specifically under your left rib cage. This is not the stretching pain that is commonly felt on the abdomen over the uterus but rather is a pain that comes from the liver and so is directly under the rib cage. If you note either of these things, give the office a call and talk to a nurse. If you have been diagnosed with PIH/pre-eclampsia/toxemia then you need more information than this and you should go to the section on PIH.
https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/pregnancy.htm
https://www.marchofdimes.org/find-support/topics/pregnancy/preeclampsia
Pre-term labor (labor occurring before 37 weeks gestation) is difficult to figure out. Mostly the difficulty comes from the fact that you are supposed to watch for contractions but contractions are normal throughout pregnancy. It is important to diagnose pre-term labor, specifically before 34 weeks because we can intervene with steroids to help mature your baby if they are so eager to come into the world. We don’t have the tools to slow down labor very well. What you should generally watch out for are regular contractions occurring at least every 10 minutes and this has been ongoing for 2-3 hours. If you are noting regular contractions, the first thing to do is sit down and drink a large glass of water. Being on your feet and being dehydrated can both cause contractions but neither one causes labor. If your contractions go away with rest or water, they were never labor and you can go about your day. You should also keep an eye out for vaginal bleeding or spotting along with the contractions as that ups our suspicion that something might be going on. If they continue or get stronger you should give you provider a call. If you have been diagnosed with pre-term labor or contractions and are beyond this little segment of information, there is a more in depth section on pre-term labor under general OB information.