New Delhi: Doctors at AIIMS Delhi on Thursday warned that preeclampsia — a dangerous pregnancy complication linked to high blood pressure — continues to remain a major cause of maternal and newborn complications and deaths in the country, although India has sharply reduced maternal deaths over the years.Speaking on World Preeclampsia Day, experts from the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at AIIMS Delhi said the condition often develops silently during pregnancy and can become life-threatening if not detected in time.Doctors said India’s maternal mortality ratio has declined to around 90 per 100,000 live births, but preeclampsia continues to significantly contribute to maternal deaths, preterm births and newborn complications.“Preeclampsia is a serious disease, but one that can be identified early, prevented and treated,” said Dr Neena Malhotra, stressing that regular blood pressure monitoring during pregnancy remains the most important screening tool.The condition is diagnosed when a pregnant woman develops high blood pressure, often along with excess protein in urine. Severe cases can lead to seizures, brain haemorrhage, kidney failure, lung fluid accumulation and even death of the mother and baby.Doctors warned that many women reach tertiary hospitals too late because early warning signs are ignored or mistaken for routine pregnancy discomfort.Experts said the disease is linked to abnormal placental development and can also affect the baby by causing growth restriction, premature birth and stillbirth.Dr K Aparna Sharma and Dr Vidushi Kulshreshtha said a first-trimester screening can help identify high-risk women, including those with twin pregnancies, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, IVF pregnancies or a family history of high blood pressure.They said low-dose aspirin started early in high-risk pregnancies can significantly reduce chances of severe preeclampsia.Experts said preeclampsia affects nearly 5–8% of pregnancies globally and contributes to more than 70,000 maternal deaths and nearly 5 lakh baby deaths every year. Doctors said severe headache, swelling, blurred vision, breathlessness, abdominal pain and reduced baby movements should never be ignored.Dr Anubhuti Rana said awareness at the community level remains crucial, particularly among ASHAs, ANMs and anganwadi workers.Experts also said high blood pressure during pregnancy should never be considered “normal”.
