1. Stages of Pregnancy Slideshow Pictures
2. Slideshow of Early Pregnancy Symptoms
3. Early Pregnancy Symptoms Quiz

Medical Author:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

View Full Profile

Medical Editor:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

View Full Profile

Most women will have good outcomes for their pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia or eclampsia. Some women will continue to have problems with their blood pressure and will need to be followed closely after delivery. About 25% of women who have had eclampsia will have elevated blood pressure in a subsequent pregnancy, and about 2% will also have eclampsia in subsequent pregnancies.

Most babies will do well. Babies born prematurely will usually stay in the hospital longer. A rule of thumb is to expect the baby to stay in the hospital until their due date.

Unfortunately, a few women and babies experience life-threatening complications from preeclampsia or eclampsia. Complications in babies are generally related to premature delivery, and outcomes for both mothers and babies are significantly worse in developing countries. The maternal mortality (death) rate from eclampsia in developed counties ranges from 0% to 1.8% of cases. Most of the cases of maternal death are complicated by a condition known as HELLP syndrome, which is characterized by preeclampsia along with hemolytic anemia, elevated liver function tests (LFTs), and low platelet count.

Must Read Articles Related to Eclampsia

Preeclampsia Preeclampsia is a serious complication of pregnancy. Preeclampsia is associated with high blood pressure and protein in the urine. Preeclampsia is also referred...learn more >>

Pregnancy Pregnancy occurs when an egg is fertilized by a sperm, grows inside a woman's uterus (womb), and develops into a baby. In humans, this process takes about 280 d...learn more >>

See the Entire Eclampsia Topic Guide »