It brought home to me just how dangerous it is
Soaring blood pressure was the first sign Lauren Crilley was suffering pre-eclampsia, 34 weeks into pregnancy. She was rushed to intensive care to protect her health and ensure her daughter was born safely.
Lauren said: “A routine visit to my midwife revealed my blood pressure had soared to 213 over 136. She told me to go to hospital immediately to seek medical help from my consultant obstetrician. Normal blood pressure in pregnancy should not exceed 120/80.
“I had experienced sore heads the previous weekend and my wedding ring was tight but other than that, I was having a good pregnancy.
“Shortly after I arrived at Wishaw Maternity Unit I was given drugs to attempt to lower my blood pressure and steroids to mature Darcey’s lungs and prepare her to survive as a premature baby.
“After she was born, Darcey was rushed to neonatal intensive care where she remained for a week and then she was moved to special care, where she continued to thrive until we left hospital two weeks later. The care for us both was outstanding.”
However, Lauren, from Carluke, Lanarkshire, said her blood pressure did not fall for three months. She was readmitted and given drugs to lower it. “It brought home to me just how dangerous pre-eclampsia is for both mothers and their babies,” she added. “My husband Christopher has fundraised for charities who campaign for the PLGF test to be available to every pregnant woman.
“It has been given the go-ahead in England and should be automatically available to every expectant mother at risk in Scotland, and indeed the rest of the world.
“Around 1,000 babies die in the UK every year because their mother develop pre-eclampsia.”