Chapter 8: Prenatal checkups
A woman with pre-eclampsia needs medical help immediately
A woman with high blood pressure and any other sign of severe
pre-eclampsia (protein in the urine, strong headaches, blurred vision,
pain in the top of the belly,
or overactive reflexes)
should be taken to a
medical center right away.
On the way, she
should lie on her left side.
Someone should go
with her in case she
has a convulsion.
For more about
convulsions,
see page 181.
Other warning signs of pre-eclampsia are:
• swelling of the face and hands (especially if she has the swelling when she
first wakes up in the morning).
• sudden weight gain.
If she has these signs, continue to check her regularly.
Checking for pre-eclampsia
1. Check the woman’s blood pressure.
High blood pressure is always a warning sign.
2. If possible, check for protein in the urine.
There are 2 methods for doing this.
high blood
pressure
Method 1: Use small plastic strips called Uristicks, Albusticks, or Labsticks to
check for protein.
You may be able to get a bottle of these sticks from the local health
authority or pharmacy. The strips have different
color squares that turn from yellow to dark green.
Ask the mother to urinate on the stick, and then
compare the color of the squares with the color
chart on the bottle. If the square turns dark green,
Dark
green
means
there is protein in the urine. This is the most
protein
accurate way to check for protein.
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A Book for Midwives (2010)