Kim Kardashian’s Early Delivery May Have Been Due To Preeclampsia

Kim Kardashian delivered her baby five weeks premature, and reports say she may have had preeclampsia. Pre-eclampsia is a condition that results in high-blood pressure for a pregnant mother, and which can be quite dangerous and life-threatening if allowed to progress to Eclampsia.

One obvious symptom of the preeclampsia is edema or swelling in the hands, feet and face, and photos of Kim Kardashian throughout her pregnancy did indeed show swelling in her feet and face. If really Kim had pre-eclampsia, I thank God for her life and that of her baby. I was scared out of my mind when I watched a Downtown Abbey episode [see post] last year in which one of the characters died of Eclampsia. I'm glad Kim's didn't get to that.

According to People,  doctors made the call to deliver the baby earlier than the mid-July due date because of Kim Kardashian's severe swelling. Usually, doctors want to wait till a baby is at least 36 weeks along before a premature delivery, and Kardashian was estimated to be around 37 weeks pregnant at the time of her daughter’s birth.

More information on Pre-Eclampsia;

It’s also marked by an excessive weight gain of more than four pounds in one week. Expectant moms also dealing with preeclampsia could experience vision changes, intense pain in the upper abdomen, nausea, vomiting and severe headaches. Preeclampsia can also affect the placenta, as well as mom’s kidneys, liver and brain. In some cases, it can lead to a condition called eclampsia, which creates seizures and can cause major organ problems and even death.

Preeclampsia is fairly rare (5%-10% of pregnancies) and usually pops up between week 20 and a few days after delivery. There seems to be some genetic link, so pay special attention to warning signs if your mom had preeclampsia. Risk is also increased in women with chronic hypertension, blood clotting disorders, diabetes, kidney disease or certain autoimmune diseases, as well as those who are obese, older than 40 or younger than 20, or carrying more than one fetus. Keep an eye on your body, and let your doctor know if your hands, face or feet swell excessively or if you gain more than four pounds in one week. Other warning signs include vision change, intense pain in the upper abdomen, nausea, vomiting and severe headaches. If you’re diagnosed with the condition, your doctor will monitor you very closely, limit your activities, and may induce labor a bit early.