Preeclampsia Foundation Introduces Illustrated Education Tool

On May 7th, 2013, the Preeclampsia Foundation introduced a new education tool to inform expectant mothers about the life-threatening disorder of pregnancy. This is a must read for anyone who is trying to become pregnant or currently pregnant. Preeclampsia Foundation Introduces Education Tool to Inform Expectant Mothers about Life-Threatening Disorder of Pregnancy Illustrated preeclampsia symptoms tear pad now available, already adopted by California healthcare initiative Melbourne, Fla. — May 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — The Preeclampsia Foundation today released the Illustrated Preeclampsia Symptoms Tear Pad, a patient education tool that was developed in collaboration with health services researchers at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, Ill. The tool effectively informs pregnant women, even those with potentially poor literacy, about preeclampsia. Because preeclampsia is a disorder that can have grave consequences for a mother and her unborn baby, the goal is for the tool to offer information in a way that allows women to assimilate and retain knowledge related to preeclampsia, leading them to promptly seek medical attention should they have symptoms related to preeclampsia… To read more… Click Here or Click Here to see Multimedia Version © Preeclampsia Foundation 2013 | www.preeclampsia.org

Creating an Awareness About Preeclampsia and HELLP Syndrome

With the anniversary of Holdon’s death last weekend, I have been thinking a lot about my first pregnancy and the events leading up to my emergency c-section at 28 weeks. I was told I had a variant of Preeclampsia, called HELLP Syndrome and that I needed to deliver immediately or I could die. I had very little warning that I had this serious pregnancy complication. My only early symptom was upper abdominal pain, which I mistook for heartburn for weeks before finding out at a doctor’s appointment that I was seriously ill and had to deliver right away. Holdon was born, 3 months early and due to severe growth restriction as a result of a problem with the placenta, he was only the size of a 24-week-old baby, measuring only 1 lb 8 oz at birth. Holdon fought incredibly hard for 3 ½ months in the NICU but in the end it was too much for him. The official report from the doctor on his death certificate, said the cause was Cardiorespiratory Arrest, Multiple Systems Failure, Sepsis, and all a result of Prematurity.  My doctor also believed the problem with the placenta is likely the cause of my Preeclampsia. We…Continue reading Creating an Awareness About Preeclampsia and HELLP Syndrome