Pregnant women warned to watch out for signs of pre-eclampsia

MIDWIVES SAY IT'S IMPORTANT TO ATTEND APPOINTMENTS

- By LORNA HUGHES

PREGNANT women in Hull are being warmed to be on their guard for a potentially serious condition putting them and their babies at risk. Up to five in every 100 women will develop pre-eclampsia, usually more than 20 weeks into pregnancy, in labour or shortly after giving birth.

To mark World Pre-eclampsia Day on Thursday (May 1) public health midwives at NHS Humber Health Partnership are urging women to attend every appointment. They say this will ensure pre-eclampsia is picked up quickly, reducing the risk to women and their babies.

Although the exact cause is not known, it is thought pre-eclampsia may be linked to a problem with the placenta.