How can I educate patients about the signs and symptoms of pre-eclampsia to ensure early detection?

Educating patients about the signs and symptoms of pre-eclampsia to ensure early detection involves:

• Informing pregnant women to seek immediate medical review if they experience any symptoms suggestive of pre-eclampsia, including severe headache, visual disturbances (such as blurred vision, flashing lights, double vision, or floating spots), severe pain below the ribs, vomiting, breathlessness, or sudden swelling of the face, hands, or feet. These symptoms can occur during pregnancy and up to 4 weeks postpartum and require urgent assessment.
• Explaining the risk factors for pre-eclampsia so women understand their personal risk. High-risk factors include a history of hypertensive disease in a previous pregnancy, chronic kidney disease, autoimmune diseases (e.g., systemic lupus erythematosus or antiphospholipid syndrome), type 1 or type 2 diabetes, and chronic hypertension. Moderate risk factors include first pregnancy, age 40 years or older, pregnancy interval over 10 years, BMI ≥35 kg/m2, family history of pre-eclampsia, and multiple pregnancy.
• Encouraging regular antenatal visits where blood pressure and urine protein are routinely checked to detect early signs of pre-eclampsia.
• Advising women at high or moderate risk to take low-dose aspirin (75 mg to 150 mg daily) from 12 weeks gestation until birth to reduce the risk of developing pre-eclampsia, as per clinical guidance.
• Providing clear, accessible written or verbal information about the symptoms and risks, tailored to the woman’s language and health literacy level, and reinforcing the importance of reporting symptoms promptly.

This approach supports early detection and timely referral for specialist assessment and management, which is critical to prevent complications for both mother and baby.

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