My 34 weeks pregnant client, calls me stating her doctor diagnosed her with pre-eclampsia– her blood pressure has recently increased to 140/90 and her feet are swelling. She told me she is not peeing as much, which could be because she is not drinking a lot of fluids. When she does pee, it burns and she feels pressure in her bladder as if she still needs to pee. After listening to my client’s symptoms, I had her take several doses a day of the homeopathic remedy Apis 200c to help relieve the pressure she feels in her bladder, and to decrease the swelling of her feet and her blood pressure. When you are retaining fluid and not peeing as much, your kidneys are not working the way they should be to help eliminate protein (in the urine) from the bladder. The feet and legs start to retain fluid, causing pre-eclampsia.

A few days later, my client reported that the pressure in her bladder was much better. She is peeing much more, and the swelling in her feet is improving, too. Her doctor said her blood pressure is now down in the 130’s/80’s, and they will continue to monitor her blood pressure. I had my client continue taking Apis 200c a couple of times a day until her feet are back to normal.

Emotions Causing Pre-eclampsia

When I was taking my client’s case information for her pre-eclampsia case, I also asked what was going on in her life, knowing that mental and emotional symptoms can trigger pre-eclampsia. She said, “I don’t understand, I don’t usually have high blood pressure.” She went on to tell me that she has a hard time going to sleep because she can’t turn off the chatter in her head.” “I keep thinking about many things that happened that day or days prior.” I selected the homeopathic remedy Natrum Muriaticum 6c, for her to take at bedtime to help with the chatter in her head. My client does not need Natrum Muriaticum just for holding onto to her recurring thoughts. She was also holding on to fluid in her body, causing her to retain urine and to swell, causing the pre-eclampsia. Natrum Muriaticum will help her to let go of the recurring thoughts so she can go to sleep and not retain fluid in her bladder or feet, and it will address the emotional reason why she has pre-eclampsia.

What is Pre-eclampsia?

Pre-eclampsia is also known as Toxemia, Eclampsia, and Pregnancy induced Hypertension (PIH), which can occur after 20 weeks of pregnancy. It can suddenly cause high blood pressure and problems with your kidneys and other organs. When you have pre-eclampsia, your kidneys are not functioning properly. This could be from damaged or diseased kidneys , which is shown by having  too much protein (albumin) in your urine. Albumin is a protein in your blood, and when the kidneys are healthy, the protein does not pass from your blood into your urine.

Pre-eclampsia Symptoms

• Headaches
• Swelling (puffiness) of the hands, face, feet, and legs
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Dizziness
• Stomach pain or abdominal pain under the ribs
• Nausea and vomiting
• Too much protein in the urine (known as albuminuria)
• Blurred vision
• Sudden weight gain
• Mental and emotional such as agitation or irritability

You do not need all of the symptoms to be present to have pre-eclampsia. The pre-eclampsia symptoms go away after the birth of the baby within week of postpartum. In the meantime, your doctor or midwife will monitor your blood pressure, urine quantity, and weight. A homeopathic remedy can be used while your doctor or midwife monitors you.

Using Homeopathy to Avoid Hospitalization for Pre-eclampsia

A 28-week pregnant client calls me very upset that she has been nauseous, vomiting, and has high blood pressure with a little swelling of the ankles. Her doctor wanted to put her in the hospital when her blood pressure was 160/100, and she has pre-eclampsia. I asked how often she was vomiting and she stated that she is nauseous most days, vomiting quite often, and sometimes the vomiting is uncontrollable. The only thing that helps relieve the vomiting is holding her abdomen. She also told me that she has lost her appetite, and the food is tasteless when she does eat. She has a burning pain when she pees. My client also stated she has been very irritable and finding fault with everyone. She feels her best when she keeps busy, keeping her mind busy. I selected the homeopathic remedy Helonias Dioica 30c to take 2 times a day. A few days later, my client reported that her vomiting is decreasing and her blood pressure is slowly lowering. The good news is that her doctor said she will not need to be hospitalized and he will continue to monitor her. I had her to continue taking Helonias Dioica 30c daily until she is no longer vomiting and her blood pressure is back down to her normal.

Are You at Risk of Pre-eclampsia?

• High Blood Pressure before pregnancy
• Pre-eclampsia in a previous pregnancy
• Kidney Disease before pregnancy
• Overweight
• Over the age of 40
• Pre-existing Diabetic or Autoimmune Condition (i.e., lupus or antiphospholipid syndrome) before pregnancy
• Multiple Gestation (pregnant with more than one baby)
• Family History of Pre-eclampsia

How to Prevent Pre-eclampsia

Staying healthy during pregnancy and having regular prenatal visits to monitor your blood pressure.

Eclampsia

When pre-eclampsia becomes severe, it can cause eclampsia. A more serious life-threatening complication for you and the baby, eclampsia can cause you to have convulsive seizures, go into a coma or have a higher risk of a stroke during pregnancy or after delivery.

Other Pre-eclampsia Homeopathic Remedies

• Arsenicum Album – High protein levels with scanty urine that burns and come out involuntarily. A weak feeling in the abdomen after urinating.

• Cantharis – Having a constant desire to urinate with burning pains when urinating.

• Mercurius Corrosivus – You have albuminuria (protein) in urine. Urine burns and is passed drop by drop. You are straining to urinate with frequent dribbling.

• Phosphorus – Swelling (also referred to as dropsical) in limbs and ankles. You crave cold drinks.

• Sulphur – High blood pressure (hypertension), with swelling of limbs and ankles and albumin protein in the urine.

How is Pre-eclampsia Treated?

Pre-eclampsia goes away once the baby is born. However, there still can be risks for the baby. Babies may be born prematurely with lungs that may not be fully developed, and low birth weight can be crucial to the baby’s health. Taking a homeopathic remedy for pre-eclampsia symptoms, such as high blood pressure and swelling of your feet or ankles, is another way to address and pre-eclampsia.