Hypertension Alert Can Trigger Preeclampsia In Pregnant Women, What Is It?

Illustration of pregnant women (Pexels/Leah Newhouse)

JAKARTA - Hypertension is a condition when blood pressure is higher than the normal value, and is often called The Silent Killer because it usually occurs without any complaints. Hypertension can pose a risk of causing other health problems, one of which is preeclampsia in pregnant women.

Preeclampsia is a serious medical condition characterized by high blood pressure and damage to the organs of the body, especially the kidneys and liver. Preeclampsia is common in pregnant women, generally after the 20th week of pregnancy.

"Pregnant women are preeclamptial, and their blood pressure is resistant, 140/90, with at least three drugs and an optimal dose. This can happen especially in mothers who are close to childbirth, the third trimester where the burden on circulation is getting higher, so blood pressure is also getting higher," said the Chairperson of the Committee and General Chairperson of the 2025 Peripherum Hypertension Implementation Book Team, Dr. Ni Made Hustini, when met in the Kebayoran Baru area, South Jakarta, on Friday, February 20, 2025.

Quoting the World Health Organization (WHO) for a long time, Doctor Ni Made said that 80 percent of maternal deaths classified as immediate death were due to five causes. Starting from postpartum bleeding of 25 percent, preeclamia and eksia of 20 percent, abortus of 13 percent, and other causes of 7 percent.

In Indonesia alone, one of the highest causes of maternal mortality in Indonesia is preeclampsia. Global prevalence of hypertension in pregnancy is estimated at around 10 to 15 percent, while preeclampsia affects 2 to 8 percent of all pregnancies.

Preeclampsia that are not handled properly can have various impacts on pregnant women and also the fetus that is contained. Not only about blood pressure, this condition can also affect kidney health. If the kidney function has been disrupted, then the treatment is increasingly difficult.

"Preeclamsia is not only about blood pressure, there is also the involvement of the kidneys. For example, if we check the urine of pregnant patients, then there is protein in their urine, it is also a diagnosis for preeclampsia," said Doctor Ni Made.

"If the kidney function is followed by a disturbance, then blood pressure control will also be more difficult," he added.

Preeclampsia treatment is usually carried out by routine monitoring of the condition of the mother and fetus. Efforts are made so that the fetus can grow normally in the womb until the right time.

However, if there are complications that can endanger the mother and fetus, early delivery must be done.

"Like it or not, the patient must be saved, by being treated to control blood pressure to prevent complications. The target is how the blood pressure is that normal for pregnant women, so that the baby can live," he said.

"If he doesn't reach a mature age of 37.38 weeks, he doesn't deserve to leave. So as long as we can treat him in his mother's stomach, unless there are other disorders such as awareness, blood, liver function disorders, then he must be born, his child must be born premature," he continued.

The way to check preeclampsia is with the active role of pregnant women checking themselves regarding the history of hypertension if they have it. If you already have hypertension, you must carry out regular health monitoring so that preeclampsia does not occur during pregnancy.

There are so many things that must be done to treat one pre-eclamptical patient. So how important it is for people who are pre-eclamated to be detected and handled properly. If pre-eclampsia, the risk of pre-eclamptivity in the next pregnancy remains high," continued Doctor Ni Made.

During pregnancy, mothers are also required to maintain healthy weight, regulate diets, manage stress, and take supplements that the doctor recommends, to prevent preeclampsia and the process of pregnancy and childbirth can run smoothly.