There is Hope in the Blood.
This weekend reminded me of a complicated delivery I attended 29 years ago. Her mother, several weeks prior to delivery, began to show protein in her urine and high blood pressure. Later she began to swell and her blood pressure continued to rise. By 35 weeks of gestation her mother began to show signs of a potentially serious condition called pre-eclampsia. Largely unclear in its pathology, pre-eclampsia has something to do to the interaction between the mother's uterus and the infant's placenta. It is a progressive condition during pregnancy that, ultimately, is only cured by delivery of the infant. High blood pressure, protein in the urine, swelling or edema in the tissues, and neurologic signs are all signs and complications of this condition. Occasionally, if not controlled, could proceed to severe seizures and stroke. Unfortunately, by the 35th week, this baby slowed her growth and was showing s...