What causes Preeclampsia? It's not really known. There are theories, but nothing solid pointing to why the placenta doesn't function properly. Some studies attribute it to poor diet/ nutrition, some to high body fat, insufficient blood flow and some genetics. It all seems to be a blanket for reason, and yet it still happens to many women who do not fall into any category, like me for example.
My diet was great. My husband and I already followed a Paleo lifestyle, and continued those ways during pregnancy. Grass fed, free range, organically grown and raised, no grains or gluten and I had cut out almost any salt intake. My caffeine intake was 1 cup of coffee a day, in the morning. Any other time I drank only water, and lots of it ( I carried a cup around with times on it to make sure, at the very minimum, I was getting 64 oz a day). Up until pregnancy, I exercised regularly. I was in the best shape since high school nearly 10 years earlier. With pregnancy and complications with a bicornuate uterus, I was no longer able to keep my exercise routine. My family has no history of Preeclampsia, nor does my husband's family. Blood flow to my placenta was fine, as it was being monitored already due to my issues with my uterus. I do not fall under these blanket theories.
If you get preeclampsia, it's not your fault. You can't prevent it as it's just something that happens. There's no cure other than delivery right now. Most women are able to make it to term or full term and deliver absolutely healthy babies. Those women can often stick to their birth plan, have natural unmediated birth- or medicated natural birth, etc. Because preeclampsia can change in minutes, not everyone can stay with their birth plan. Preeclampsia can advance. You can become eclamptic, you can develop HELLP and it can be very dangerous for mom and for baby.
For me, I was on hospital bed rest to be continuously monitored. It was scary. I didn't know much about what was going on or could happen. I had heard of Preeclampsia, but I really didn't know what to expect or how it was going to attack me. I was fine for a few days. I was classified with severe preeclampsia, borderline HELLP and borderline Eclampsia. I was on blood pressure medicine, and magnesium to help prevent seizures from starting. I was on cardiac arrest watch, stroke watch and seizure watch. I requested to push my body as much as I safely could to get my son as far as I could in this pregnancy. The doctors respected that request and I had a team of nurses that pretty much stayed with me (someone was in the room every 30 minutes or less). Our goal was 34 weeks. At 34 weeks, they would let me labor. I had my hopes up. I wanted, "natural".
In less than an hour after talking with my OB on Monday, June 29, 2015, I started to crash. My blood pressure jumped to 190/110 (while on the max dose of blood pressure medicine I could be given), and my oxygen levels dropped. I was only 32 weeks (admitted while in the 31st week) along. I had went into severe HELLP syndrome. My liver function was failing, my kidneys were struggling and my chest was tightening. To save my baby, I had to save myself. I was put on oxygen and less than 45 minutes after my oxygen levels started to lower.. I delivered via emergency c-section.
To this day, I'm still battling what Preeclampsia and HELLP did to my body. For nearly 14 months, I have been doing any and everything natural to "heal" my body. So far the only thing I've been able to control with natural remedies, is my blood pressure most days (though, still a struggle some days).
I consider myself pretty "crunchy" when it comes to my lifestyle. Yet, I know there are just some things natural ways just can't do what science can. And I believe God gave scientists and doctors these amazing gifts for a reason.
To those who place judgments and blame. Just stop. The mom is already placing enough blame and what ifs on herself. You blaming a mom for Preeclampsia is like saying a person who gets into a car wreck is to blame just for getting into a vehicle. And if you are that mom, and you had Preeclampsia, It's not your fault. You didn't cause this. If you stop placing blame on others for their preeclampsia, maybe you can see that you're not the reason for it attacking you. Maybe then you can have some closure and take that weight off your shoulders.If there was a way I could have prevented my son going through this, through all the needles, tests, and nights without me, I would have.
It's not your fault. It's not my fault.
