Pre-Eclampsia; Eclampsia (Pregnancy Toxemia)

SYMPTOMS—Pre-eclampsia: Sudden weight gain, high blood pressure, albuminuria, headaches, dizziness, spots before the eyes, epigastric pain, edema (swelling) of the legs and feet.
Eclampsia: Symptoms of pre-eclampsia, plus convulsions and coma. The convulsions begin with fixation of the eyeballs, rolling of the eyes, twitchings of the face, arms, and hands. Then coma with temperature at 103o-104o F. The person can die in the coma.

CAUSES—Beginning about the turn of the century, physicians have sometimes prescribed women to keep their weight down in order to have smaller babies (which are easier for the doctor to deliver).
But such arbitrarily restricted diets—low in protein, salt, and water—can lead to serious consequences.
The sudden weight gain occurs because of fluid retention, due to low blood protein, high blood pressure, and albuminuria.
If pre-eclampsia is not treated properly, then it develops into eclampsia—an even worse form of the disorder.
Both forms of this disorder occur after the 20th week of pregnancy. The orthodox treatment is to place the woman in the hospital, wait until convulsions occur, and then give her barbiturates. But what she needs is nourishing food.
Diet, blood pressure, and weight must be watched—but proper nutrition and fluid intake is most important.

TREATMENT—
• A balanced high-protein diet. Do not restrict salt. Take seaweed products for trace minerals, also a full vitamin/mineral supplement.
• Take B6 (100 mg daily until birth, then only 50 mg daily) and 10-12 glasses of water or fruit juice a day, especially in the hot months.

Some studies suggest that taking vitamin C along with vitamin E may help prevent pre-eclampsia in women who are at high risk. Pre-eclampsia, characterized by high blood pressure and too much protein in the urine, is a common cause of premature births. Not all studies agree, however.