April 2026 | From the Desk of Maddy the Doula Lady

Preeclampsia: What Every Pregnant Person Needs to Know

Preeclampsia is one of the most dangerous pregnancy complications. It's a leading cause of maternal death in Louisiana. It can happen to anyone. And most cases are preventable with early intervention. You need to know the signs.

I'm going to be really direct with you about this.

Preeclampsia kills. In Louisiana, it's one of the top causes of maternal death. And here's the thing... most of these deaths are preventable.

Preventable.

But prevention only works if you know what to look for. If you report symptoms. If someone actually listens.

So let's talk about what preeclampsia is, how to spot it, and what to do.

What Preeclampsia Actually Is

Preeclampsia is high blood pressure during pregnancy. Usually happens after 20 weeks.

But it's not just high blood pressure. It affects your whole body. Your kidneys, your liver, your brain, your blood clotting. It affects the placenta, which means it affects your baby.

If it's not caught and treated, it can progress to eclampsia. That's when you have seizures. Seizures can cause stroke, brain damage, death.

It can also cause:

• Placental abruption (placenta separates from uterus)
• Preterm birth (sometimes the only way to treat it is deliver early)
• Low birth weight baby
• Organ damage to you
• HELLP syndrome (a more severe form)

This is serious. This is life-threatening.

But here's what you need to know... if caught early, it's manageable. Monitoring, medication, sometimes bed rest, sometimes early delivery. But manageable.

The key is catching it early.

The Warning Signs (Memorize These)

Call Your Provider Immediately If You Have:

• Severe headache that won't go away (not just a regular headache, persistent and intense)

• Changes in vision (blurriness, spots, seeing stars, temporary vision loss)

• Swelling in hands or face (sudden, not gradual... you can't get your rings off, your face looks puffy)

• Pain in upper abdomen or under ribs (right side, feels like severe heartburn or pressure)

• Nausea or vomiting (in late pregnancy, not first trimester morning sickness)

• Sudden weight gain (more than 2 pounds in a week)

• Shortness of breath (trouble breathing, chest pressure)

Don't wait. Don't think "maybe it's nothing." Don't wait until your next appointment.

Call. Go in. Get checked.

Preeclampsia can progress fast. Hours, not days.

Why It's So Dangerous

Here's what makes preeclampsia scary.

It can sneak up on you. Sometimes there are no symptoms at first. Just high blood pressure your provider catches at a routine visit.

Sometimes it progresses slowly. Sometimes it progresses fast.

And once it starts, the only "cure" is delivery. Sometimes that means delivering early. Sometimes very early.

That's why monitoring matters. Catching it when it's mild means we can manage it, keep you pregnant longer, keep you and baby safer.

Catching it late means crisis.

Who's at Higher Risk

Anyone can get preeclampsia. But some people are at higher risk:

Higher Risk Factors

• First pregnancy (your body hasn't done this before)

• Previous preeclampsia (if you had it before, higher chance of having it again)

• Multiple babies (twins, triplets put more demand on your body)

• Obesity

• Certain health conditions (chronic high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, autoimmune disorders)

• Family history (mom or sister had it)

• Age (under 20 or over 40)

• Certain populations experience higher rates and need closer monitoring

If you have any of these risk factors, talk to your provider about closer monitoring.

How to Prevent or Catch It Early

You can't always prevent preeclampsia. But you can catch it early. And that's what saves lives.

What Actually Works

Regular prenatal care. Blood pressure checks at every visit. That's how most preeclampsia gets caught.

Know your baseline. What's YOUR normal blood pressure? If it starts creeping up, that matters.

Low-dose aspirin. If you're high risk, your provider might recommend baby aspirin starting around 12 weeks. This reduces risk.

Know the symptoms. Memorize the warning signs. Report them immediately.

Have someone monitoring you. Partner, family, friend, doula. Someone who sees you regularly and can notice changes.

Trust your gut. If something feels wrong, get checked. Don't wait.

What to Do If You Have Symptoms

This is important. Listen to me.

If you have symptoms... severe headache, vision changes, swelling, abdominal pain... you call your provider immediately.

Not "I'll mention it at my appointment next week."

Immediately.

If your provider's office is closed, you go to L&D or the ER. You don't wait.

And here's the other thing... don't downplay your symptoms. Don't let anyone else downplay them either.

"It's probably just a headache."

Maybe. But maybe not. And "probably" isn't good enough when we're talking about your life.

Insist on being seen. Bring someone with you who will advocate for you if needed.

How Doulas Help Catch This Early

This is one of the things doulas do that people don't always realize.

We monitor. At every prenatal visit, we're watching. We're asking questions. We're noticing changes.

"How's your blood pressure been?"
"Any headaches?"
"How's the swelling?"
"Your face looks a little puffy, have you noticed that?"

We catch things early. Before they become emergencies.

And when we see something concerning, we don't wait. We tell you to call your provider. We help you advocate for testing.

At Mary's Hands Network, we screen for risk factors at intake. We teach families warning signs. We monitor at every visit.

We're an extra set of eyes. And sometimes, that extra set of eyes is what catches it.

Here's What We Know

Preeclampsia is dangerous. But it's manageable if caught early.

You need to know the signs. You need to report symptoms. You need someone monitoring you closely.

That's prevention. That's survival.

What You Need to Do

Memorize the warning signs. Severe headache, vision changes, swelling, abdominal pain.

Report symptoms immediately. Don't wait. Don't downplay.

Go to every prenatal appointment. Blood pressure checks save lives.

Get monitoring. Doula, partner, family. Someone watching closely.

Trust your gut. If something feels wrong, get checked.

Love,
Maddy the Doula Lady 

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Mary's Hands Network provides free doula support in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Lafayette, Houma/Thibodaux, Hammond, and Central Louisiana
info@mhndoula.com | (225) 424-7532 | maryshandsnetwork.org