Eclampsia
Seizure disorder of pregnancy linked to pre-eclampsia.
Eclampsia is a severe complication of pregnancy characterized by the onset of seizures (convulsions) in a woman with pre-eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy marked by new onset high blood pressure, large amounts of protein in the urine or other organ dysfunction, and edema. Eclampsia poses significant risks to both the mother and fetus, including potential fatality, and is one of the most common causes of death in pregnancy globally.
Quick Facts
- Field
- Obstetrics, emergency medicine
- Symptoms
- Seizures, high blood pressure
- Complications
- Aspiration pneumonia, cerebral hemorrhage, kidney failure, cardiac arrest
- Onset
- After 20 weeks of pregnancy
- Risks
- Pre-eclampsia
- Prevention
- Aspirin, calcium supplementation, treatment of prior hypertension
- Treatment
- Magnesium sulfate, hydralazine, emergency delivery
- Prognosis
- 1% risk of death
- Frequency
- 1.4% of deliveries
- Deaths
- 46,900 hypertensive diseases of pregnancy (2015)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Eclampsia is defined by the occurrence of tonic–clonic seizures in a pregnant woman with pre-eclampsia, typically lasting about a minute. Most women experience premonitory signs such as persistent headaches, visual disturbances, abdominal pain, or altered mental status in the hours before the first seizure. The seizures can occur before, during, or after delivery, with postpartum seizures most likely within the first 48 hours but possible up to four weeks later. The word 'eclampsia' derives from the Greek term for lightning, and while Hippocrates described conditions resembling pre-eclampsia and seizures in the 5th century BC, the specific term and its clear delineation as a distinct entity is generally attributed to later physicians such as François Mauriceau in the 17th century.
Reader's Guide
Eclampsia remains a critical global health issue, with rates in developing countries 10–30 times higher than in developed nations, where improved medical care reduces incidence to about 1 in 2,000 deliveries. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, including eclampsia, resulted in 46,900 deaths in 2015. Prevention includes low-dose aspirin for high-risk individuals, calcium supplementation in low-calcium areas, and treatment of prior hypertension. Management of severe cases involves magnesium sulfate, blood pressure medications like hydralazine, and emergency delivery. Complications for the mother include aspiration pneumonia, cerebral hemorrhage, kidney failure, pulmonary edema, and cardiac arrest; for the fetus, risks include intrauterine growth restriction, placental abruption, and prematurity. The condition underscores the importance of prenatal care and timely intervention.
Did You Know?
- Eclampsia affects about 0.05–0.2% of deliveries in high-income countries and up to 1–2% in low-income settings.
- The word eclampsia comes from the Greek term for lightning.
- The specific term 'eclampsia' and its clear delineation as a distinct entity is generally attributed to François Mauriceau in the 17th century.
- Postpartum seizures can occur up to 4 weeks after delivery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Eclampsia?
Eclampsia is a severe pregnancy complication that strikes when a woman already suffering from pre-eclampsia suddenly begins having convulsive seizures. It is essentially the dangerous neurological escalation of a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy into a full crisis.
What are Eclampsia's powers/role?
Eclampsia manifests through sudden generalized convulsions layered on top of the pre-eclampsia baseline of abnormally high blood pressure, heavy protein loss in the urine, and fluid retention. Its 'role' in the body is that of a catastrophic neurological event triggered by the underlying vascular and organ dysfunction of pre-eclampsia.
Why is Eclampsia important?
It remains one of the leading causes of maternal death worldwide, affecting roughly 0.05–0.2 percent of births in wealthy nations and as much as 1–2 percent in resource-limited settings. That global burden makes it a critical target for prenatal monitoring and emergency obstetric care.
When was Eclampsia first identified?
The condition was first clearly separated from other pregnancy complications as its own distinct entity by the French physician François Mauriceau in the 17th century. Before that delineation, the seizures were often lumped in with other convulsive events of the birthing period.
More in Disorders causing seizures 1-24
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