Are you pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant? Have you heard of HELLP Syndrome? The acronym stands for H (hemolysis, which is the breaking down of red blood cells) EL (elevated liver enzymes) LP (low platelet count). Odds are you haven't, because it's rare, but it's also extremely dangerous to moms and babies.
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HELLP syndrome is usually considered a variant of preeclampsia.
Both conditions generally happen in later pregnancy and, sometimes,
after childbirth. It's terrifying stuff for any mama-to- be but being
educated on this commonly misdiagnosed syndrome could save you and your
child's life.
Cristin W. is one such mother who almost lost both her and her baby's
life because she had no idea that her symptoms were indicative of HELLP
syndrome. A week or two before she became deathly ill she noticed that
her back was hurting and that she had swelling in her ankles and feet.
At her next doctor's appointment she mentioned her symptoms to her
doctor and asked about preeclampsia. The doctor assured her that her
protein levels were normal and that her blood pressure was good and to
stay off the internet. Cristin felt a bit dizzy and sick when she left
the doctor's office, but after eating and resting she felt better and
chalked it up to pregnancy.
[post_ads]However the next day she felt what she thought was a large gas bubble
under her ribs and in her back. She also had pain in her upper abdomen.
Then she began throwing up. She convinced herself and her husband it
was food poisoning and they went to bed. At 2 a.m. she became violently
ill and her husband took her to the emergency room. What followed was
the start of a terrible experience that would leave Cristin with PTSD
and postpartum anxiety.
She was taken to labor and delivery immediately and informed they
would need to deliver her baby that night, at 31 weeks. Cristin and her
husband were in shock as they wheeled her into the operating room and
delivered their little girl by C-section. She was then whisked away to the NICU. The nursing staff encouraged Cristin to pump milk even though it was making her blood pressure skyrocket.
Pregnant women don't need any added stress but we also need to trust our instincts and advocate for our health and that of our babies.
She kept up a pumping
schedule of every two hours although she hardly produced any milk,
which is very common with HELLP syndrome. Like all new mothers she
wanted to do as much as she could for her baby but her blood pressure
was so high she was often denied access to her daughter. When one of the
nurses mentioned that her blood pressure medication was limited because
she was pumping, Cristin decided to stop pumping and began to feel
better within a few hours.
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After starting the blood pressure medication she was able to leave
the hospital seven days after her baby was born. Her daughter was given donor milk
in the NICU, which was not offered until she had stopped pumping. It
wasn't until almost two months later they were finally able to bring
their baby girl home. Cristin suffered from anxiety for several months
after bringing her home. The baby is almost a year old now and doing
great, but not every mother and child are so lucky.
During pregnancy many women have the experience of worrying that
something is wrong, particularly if they've experienced a prior pregnancy loss.
Pregnancy message boards are full of questions that end with, "Should I
call the doctor?" Women have long suffered in getting appropriate
medical care due to gender bias in diagnosis and are far too often told their symptoms are psychosomatic or stress related.
Pregnant women don't need any added stress but we also need to trust
our instincts and advocate for our health and that of our babies. If you
feel like something is wrong, you shouldn't hesitate to call your
doctor. A good doctor will listen to you and do their best to address
your symptoms and allay your fears. What happened to Cristin probably
could not have been prevented, due to how common it is to misdiagnose
HELLP—which is why the syndrome has a global mortality rate of 25
percent. However, being aware of the symptoms can help pregnant women
get diagnosed and treated as early as possible.
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Listed below are the symptoms of HELLP Syndrome from the American Pregnancy Association:
- Headaches
- Nausea and vomiting that continue to get worse (this may also feel like a serious case of the flu)
- Upper right abdominal pain or tenderness
- Fatigue or malaise
A woman with HELLP may experience other symptoms that often can be
attributed to other things such as normal pregnancy concerns or other
pregnancy conditions.
These symptoms may include:
- Visual disturbances
- High blood pressure
- Protein in urine
- Edema (swelling)
- Severe headaches
- Bleeding
[post_ads]Please don't hesitate to contact your doctor if you have these
symptoms or if you feel "off." One thing that Cristin realized
afterwards was that although her blood pressure was in the normal range
for her, it was actually high as her blood pressure has always been very
low.
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