Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Toxemia And Pregnancy

Toxemia And Pregnancy

An abnormal condition of pregnancy characterized by hypertension, fluid retention, edema, and the presence of protein in the urine a disorder of unknown cause that is peculiar to pregnancy, is usually of sudden onset, is marked by hypertension,albuminuria, edema, headache, and visual disturbances, and may or may not be accompanied by convulsions term formerly used to describe hypertensive conditions that can be induced by pregnancy.

This term, once commonly used, reflected the belief that toxins caused the hypertensive conditions. Research, however, failed to identify any toxins, and the term is now regarded as a misnomer. (The idea that these hormones are of placental origin is supported by the evidence that this condition is not present in non-pregnant people, and once the placenta is removed after birth, the condition begins to subside.)

Common symptoms are:
headache, dizziness, visual disturbances, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, upper abdominal pain, swelling of the face and extremities and a history of acute starvation of several days, along with chronic malnutrition. The signs are: hypertension (high blood pressure, usually 140/90 or higher), edema (swelling), proteinuria (spilling protein in the urine), and in severe cases, convulsions, coma, congestive heart failure with pulmonary edema, vascular collapse with shock and death

Malnutrition causes fundamental changes in metabolism of liver cells during pregnancy. There is strong evidence that essential amino acids contained in high quality protein may be deficient, thus impairing liver function. In other words, the liver needs high quality protein to do its job of detoxification. There is no rationale for diuretics or high blood pressure medication. If it is a severe case, the safest course may be to deliver the baby the safest course may be to deliver the baby.

Most women with MTLP are easily induced due to the “ripe” cervix. If delivery by C-section becomes necessary, it is important not to oversedate the mother and increase the load on her liver by requiring it to detoxify the drug as well. The liver is not capable of breaking them down, and so a toxic condition ensues. In addition to this, the enzymes in the lower GI tract work on certain amino acids and produce potentially toxic substances which are carried to the liver. These compete with the steroid hormones for detoxification. In a nutshell, the liver gets overloaded

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