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Preeclampsia often provokes feelings of great loss, despair or confusion. In some cases, it is a traumatic event that leads to enormous emotional, economic or physical burdens. Fortunately, this website provides a place of learning and healing among the growing community of people who share an experience with preeclampsia.

Here you will find the face of preeclampsia and the many personal accounts of both survival and tragedy. Feel free to read and comment on their stories, view their photos, and take the opportunity to connect with them to share your story. Many people have found helpful support through this community. We hope you will too.

Please consider sending us your story for inclusion on this page.

Hi,my name is Bev, I married my husband this year in september, apart from that

Posted On Tuesday, December 08, 2009  by Beverley

Hi,my name is Bev, I married my husband this year in september, apart from that very happy event we have experienced much heartbreak and upset in 2009 due to the loss of 2 x pregnancys.I first found out i was pregnant in Feb only to suffer a miscarriage at 10 weeks in March, we were heartbroken but were told it was very common and should try again.For 4 months i thought of nothing else, desparate to gain back what we had lost, i finally found out i was pregnant in July.My sec... Read more

For all of you that don't know, this is going to be hard, but today

Posted On Monday, December 07, 2009  by Amanda

For all of you that don't know, this is going to be hard, but today I feel strong, so I am deciding to write my version of the tragic event that forever changed my life. No one ever talks about what could happen, or tells you about diseases to look out for during pregnancy. I bet 90% of women don't know what Severe pre-eclampsia or HELLP disease is. I did not...if I did it could have saved baby Cara's life, not to mention it almost took my own! October 10 2009 I noticed I seemed to be (f... Read more

My story begins with my third pregnancy. My first two pregnancies went very well, both

Posted On Monday, December 07, 2009  by Julie

My story begins with my third pregnancy. My first two pregnancies went very well, both delivered to term, natural childbirth, no complications, very fast deliveries. My third started out the same way, I got pregnant when my second daughter was 5 months old. This was not a planned pregnancy, but we were happy none the less. We wanted 4 children. I had always enjoyed being pregnant, I suffer from migraines, but never had them while pregnant. My pregnancy was progressing normally, until about 34 we... Read more

I developed high blood pressure in my 5th month of pregnancy. I was put on

Posted On Tuesday, December 01, 2009  by Brandie

I developed high blood pressure in my 5th month of pregnancy. I was put on high blood pressure medicine and eventually it stopped working. Before pregnancy I had low blood pressure and did everything I was suppose to. I was on my 3rd 24 hour urine in the ER and then officially had toxemia aka preeclampsia. I turned 32 weeks and developed HELLP Syndrome. Grace Addilyn Broussard came into the world at 32 weeks, 2 lbs 8oz and 15 3/4 inches long. It was on Good Friday, April 10, 2009. I am st... Read more

I have had issues with hereditary hypertension for over a decade. Prior to becoming pregnant

Posted On Sunday, November 29, 2009  by Stephanie

I have had issues with hereditary hypertension for over a decade. Prior to becoming pregnant I worked with my doctors to find medications that would treat my hypertension buy not harm my baby. I planned for about a year before becoming pregnant.My hypertension issues continued through my pregnancy and I was exhausted/sick every day despite resting a lot and trying so hard to take care of myself. My blood pressure was well under control until around the 20th week. I was hospitalized for h... Read more

I was pregnant at 19 years of age. My first two trimesters were a breeze.

Posted On Sunday, November 22, 2009  by Kristen

I was pregnant at 19 years of age. My first two trimesters were a breeze. I only had a few experience of morning sickness, five at the most. I was gaining weight at a good rate and everything looked great. All the normal tests came back with excellent results. I went in for my routine biweekly check up on my 29th week I believe and the doctor noticed my blood pressure a little high and sent me to the lab for some tests. A few days later I was in labor and delivery for bleeding and minor co... Read more

I have read some of these stories two years ago, when we had our boy

Posted On Friday, November 20, 2009  by Jackie

I have read some of these stories two years ago, when we had our boy Marcel. Even now when I am writing this and he is sound asleep in his little bed they squeeze my heart.You know that you are lucky and blessed when you get a child, a health child and you never think that things could go so wrong...I was 28 when I had Marcel. Everything was going great, I felt great, the baby was great, all test were fine, no proteins in urine, not even swolen legs. The D day was 14.9. and on the 11. I... Read more

Hello, my name is Natasha and I was 20 years

Posted On Thursday, November 19, 2009  by

    Hello, my name is Natasha and I was 20 years old when I formed Preeclampsia. I had never even heard of this disease when I got it and I didn't know how bad it was going to get. It started when I was 33 weeks pregnant and I went to the hospital because I felt a rush of liquid go down my leg. I was frightened so I called my nurse and she told me to come to the hospital to get checked out. The liquid was just urine, I guess I lost control of my bladder late in pregnancy... Read more

Looking back, I see very clearly just how much I was unaware of when I

Posted On Wednesday, November 18, 2009  by Angelica

Looking back, I see very clearly just how much I was unaware of when I had my second child. Although I'd been pregnant before and knew a little about preeclampsia, I really didn't want to admit that I had it. Frankly, I just didn't -- even when they started me on an IV with magnesium sulfate. Denial is a dangerous thing.My story: I wasn't due for another OB checkup until Friday and was feeling fine. At 37 weeks at a Monday allergy shot appointment, on a fortuitous whim I ask if the nurse... Read more

I just wanted to share my story with everyone who comes to this site.I was

Posted On Tuesday, November 17, 2009  by Leah

I just wanted to share my story with everyone who comes to this site.I was very lucky with the circumstances of my pregnancy and delivery. I didn't realize back then how dangerous preeclampsia could get. I was only 18 years old when I conceived. I had been off birth control for several months. It wasn't a planned pregnancy but the situation was supposed to be, if it happens it happens. I should have thought more about that at the time although I wou... Read more

By Kelsie Thirtyacre Some days I can only carry the groceries halfway up the stairs

Posted On Friday, November 13, 2009  by Susan

By Kelsie Thirtyacre Some days I can only carry the groceries halfway up the stairs to our apartment before the leg pain prevents me from taking another step. That... Read more

i had my daughter in 2005. i was unaware of this condition but have had,

Posted On Friday, November 13, 2009  by Angie

i had my daughter in 2005. i was unaware of this condition but have had, altho never really treated before pregnant, high bp. i went in to see my dr. for my 36 wk check up and for cultures. my bp was thru the roof and he noticed my legs and feet were very swollen, which they had been for some time but i just thought that was part of being preg. and wasnt really that concerned just tried to keep my feet up as much as possible. but when he saw how high my bp was and the swelling he immediately tol... Read more

We tried for 4 years to conceive. I took pills, did injections, we did insemination

Posted On Wednesday, November 11, 2009  by

We tried for 4 years to conceive. I took pills, did injections, we did insemination after insemination and nothing worked. We decided to take a break before trying IVF. Then my period was late. There was a second line on the stick. I was pregnant. I was ecstatic. I did everything I could to have a healthy baby. I kept exercising, but cut back from running to walking. I cut out all caffeine, ate healthy, homemade food, drank nothing but water and milk. I got enough sleep at night and I ... Read more

Hello My name is Annette from CT I am 23 yrs old. Over the past

Posted On Sunday, November 08, 2009  by

Hello! My name is Annette from CT I am 23 yrs old. Over the past yrs I have had 2 miscarriages. I have one beautiful surviving child that is four years old. I was recently 33 weeks pregnant. I had been having really bad headaches so I told the doctor about it. They checked my blood pressure and my urine, my blood pressure was high and urine had protein in it. At that point they had me do the 24 hr urine test. On Friday, October 23, 2009 at 9am I went to drop my 24hr urine test. Then the ... Read more

When I was pregnant with my first son, I found out at 24 weeks he

Posted On Sunday, November 08, 2009  by

When I was pregnant with my first son, I found out at 24 weeks he was missing half his umbillical artery, called "SUA" or single vessel cord. The fact that he was missing the cord was reason enough for alarm, as my body would have to compensate for the rest to get him through pregnancy. I was terrified and warned that chances for my pregnancy to continue were not good. The, at about 28 weeks, I started having unusual swelling of my hands and feet - so bad I could barely wear flip flops. I starte... Read more

The story is of my daughter and my beautiful grandson. My daughter only found out

Posted On Sunday, November 08, 2009  by Danielle

The story is of my daughter and my beautiful grandson. My daughter only found out that she was pregnant when she was 4 1/2 months pregnant, due to an abusive relationship. Luckily we had to move in with her and that's when she found out. For four weeks we are all pretty happy feeling the baby kick, starting to make plans, found a house for all of us to move into and all the normal things you do when you are starting to get ready for a baby.The fifth week my daughter and I went for her... Read more

Hello my name is Andrea...my story is a little long but I do hope you

Posted On Wednesday, November 04, 2009  by Andrea

Hello my name is Andrea...my story is a little long but I do hope you read it till the end. After trying for 4 years to conceive a child withouth any luck, we decided to looking into the possibility of infertility. After numerous testing, we found out that my husband has a low motility problem. We were told that IVF would probably be the only way we would be able to get pregnant. Unfortunately our insurance doe not cover IVF so we asked what our other options were. We were told we could 'tr... Read more

In June of 1999 I learned that I was pregnant. I was only 18 and

Posted On Sunday, November 01, 2009  by Geoff

In June of 1999 I learned that I was pregnant. I was only 18 and extremely healthy. At 5'1 I weighed 105 pounds and had been an athlete my entire life. My due date was January 25, 2000. In late September the doctors started noticing protein in my urine, rapid weight gain and elevated blood pressure. To offset these symtoms they placed me home on bed rest. This did nothing for my condition. The symptoms only worsened and I was hospitalized by the first week of December. The prescribed blo... Read more

Dealing with a pregnancy conceived by an assault, I was having minor complications from the

Posted On Thursday, October 29, 2009  by Siddhartha

Dealing with a pregnancy conceived by an assault, I was having minor complications from the begining. I knew something else was going to happen early in my pregnancy but I was praying I was wrong. I had scheduled my shower in August, 3 months before my due date because three of my cousins were also pregnant but nothing prepared me for what was going to happen 3 days later. I had already began to swell in the ankles and had been to the emergency countless times that week with no signs of anyth... Read more

My name is Claudia, I am now 37yrs. old. Last year around this time in

Posted On Tuesday, October 27, 2009  by Claudia

My name is Claudia, I am now 37yrs. old. Last year around this time in October I found out I was pregnant with my second child. I have a now 9yr. old daughter. So, as you can imagine, I was on cloud nine. I had been trying to convince my husband for the longest time to have another child, finally I did; the first month we tried, I got pegnant, I was the happiest woman in the world. I had no complications with my first pregnancy, I am a fairly healthy person, although one of those typical on... Read more


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I hadn’t been feeling well for a few days.  I decided I would go in to work super early and give directions to the staff and then go home and go to the doctor.  I got home and lay on the couch un...

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