Louise wants to know: "Are there any physical symptoms of pre-eclampsia to watch out for? Or is the only way to tell, getting a urine sample checked? "

Mike Rich and Fiona Milne said:

Fiona: You can feel perfectly well with pre-eclampsia but there are three main areas that you can look out for. One is headache, one is tummy pain at the top of your belly and the third one is if your baby isn't moving as much as he or she was before. These all happen after 20 weeks gestation.

Jo wants to know: "How common is it for women to get pre-eclampsia when pregnant? Can it be passed on to someone else?"

Mike Rich and Fiona Milne said:

Mike: In its broadest form about 1 in 10 pregnant women will suffer from pre-eclampsia. It is a disorder that you can only get if you are pregnant. You can't catch it from anybody.

Wendy wants to know: "What can I do as an expected mother to avoid having this condition?"

Mike Rich and Fiona Milne said:

Fiona: You can't avoid getting pre-eclampsia but you avoid the bad things that happen because of it.

Lol wants to know: "I'm pregnant and just wanted to know what I should be doing during my pregnancy to protect my baby - I've already given up smoking and drinking and been to my appointments but is there anything else?"

Mike Rich and Fiona Milne said:

Mike: It sounds like you are doing everything you should be doing within your pregnancy. When attending your ante-natal appointments always remember to take a bottle of wee and ensure that your mid-wife checks your blood pressure. Enjoy your pregnancy!

Warren wants to know: "I'm worried that my wife may get pre-eclampsia. She is pregnant for the second time and had a lot of trouble with the first birth, not related to pre-eclampsia but I'm worried that this may have made her more prone to other complications. Is there anything I/we/she can do to minimize the chances of getting this? Thanks for your help!"

Mike Rich and Fiona Milne said:

Mike: There are a number of risk factors for pre-eclampsia. They are a first pregnancy, a multiple pregnancy, being aged 40 or more, having a body mass index of 35 or more, having a close female relative (mother or sister) who has had pre-eclampsia and some chronic diseases such as hypertension or diabetes. Or having had previous pre-eclampsia. If you have any concerns please ask your wife to visit her GP or mid-wife who may refer you to see a specialist.

Lauren wants to know: "If you suffer from pre-eclampsia once, are you more likely to suffer again?"

Mike Rich and Fiona Milne said:

Mike: The average chance of recurrance of pre-eclampsia is one in twenty. However, I would stress that this is an average and each individual woman will have her own risk factors. If you have had pre-eclampsia before you should be referred to a specialist early in your pregnancy.

Leilah wants to know: "When you say the urine has protein in it, isn't protein a good thing?"

Mike Rich and Fiona Milne said:

Fiona: Protein in your urine means that it is leaking from your body. This is not a good thing and is an indication that something maybe happening.

Sarah wants to know: "How will pre-eclampsia affect the birth of my baby?"

Mike Rich and Fiona Milne said:

Mike: If you are diagnosed with pre-eclampsia there is a good chance that your baby may have to be delivered early and you may need an induced or caesarean birth...

...Fiona: The later your pre-eclampsia starts the less likely that this will be necessary.

Sarah wants to know: "How does pre-eclampsia affect the baby after birth?"

Mike Rich and Fiona Milne said:

Mike: If your baby has been born early there may be some complications that develop as a result of the baby's prematurity. If your baby has been born on or near term the pre-eclampsia should not have affected your baby...

...Fiona: It may be that your baby has not received enough blood in which case the baby may be small. Once the baby is born they normally catch up and all is well.

Beth wants to know: "Why have you set up Action on Pre-Eclampsia? Is it international or is this condition a major UK problem? "

Mike Rich and Fiona Milne said:

Mike: Action on pre-eclampsia was set up in the UK to increase awareness of what is an international problem. It is reckoned that in parts of the developing world one woman dies every three minutes from pre-eclampsia related disorder. We have sister organisation in the United States and via our website and helpline we answer queries from around the world. Visit the site on www.apec.org.uk or helpline on 0208 427 4217.

ali wants to know: "I've read that women over the age of 40 are more at risk of getting pre-eclampsia, how can I protect myself against it? "

Mike Rich and Fiona Milne said:

Fiona: There are a number of risk factors which your healthcare professional will pick up on at your booking visit including age forty and over. They will then be able to tailor your care to take into account any of these risk factors.

Bee wants to know: "What other illnesses are pregnant women at risk of?"

Mike Rich and Fiona Milne said:

Mike: If you are concerned about your health while pregnant it is always a good idea to consult with your medical professional. Pre-eclampsia is the most serious of the common medical conditions that you can develop during pregnancy.

NormaJean wants to know: "My sister was dangerously ill with p-e last year when she had her first. They are both fine now but I'm expecting my first, does it run in families?"

Mike Rich and Fiona Milne said:

Fiona: It's a very good question, pre-eclampsia can run in families and you are more likely to get it if your mother or sister has had it. Please tell your healthcare professional about it when you next visit.

Nell wants to know: "Hi there! I'm very healthy, eat the right foods and look after myself well. I am hoping to fall pregnant soon with my first baby but am worried about things like pre-eclampsia as I had never heard of it before now. Does living a healthy lifestyle decrease the chances of getting this or is it a bit pot-luck?"

Mike Rich and Fiona Milne said:

Mike: It is a bit of pot-luck. The good news is, that in the UK we have an ante-natal care system designed to pick up disorders such as pre-eclampsia. One of the risk factors for pre-eclampsia is obesity and this in one area in which women can make a difference.

ali wants to know: "Thank you. As it's my first child I'm a little concerned. Is there anything else I should be on the lookout for during the pregnancy?"

Mike Rich and Fiona Milne said:

Fiona: Our recommendations are that if it is you first child and you are over forty you would benefit from seeing a specialist. You may wish to discuss this with your healthcare professional (mid-wife, GP)

Rebecca wants to know: "Fiona, what made you decide to become involved with the Action on Pre-Eclampsia organisation? I think its great that this has been set-up as I suffered from Pre-Eclampsia during both my pregnancies and its terribly distressing. If I'd known more about it, I think it may have helped."

Mike Rich and Fiona Milne said:

Fiona: I had pre-eclampsia in my first pregnancy and sadly my baby died. Because I worked as a medical writer I felt I maybe able to help the charity, and I am now a trustee. The charity was actually set up ten years ago by Isabelle Walker, who also pre-eclampsia and lost a baby. We are very lucky also to have the leading experts in the country working with us.

Moderator: Picking up on what you just said about losing her baby, how many babies actually die each year from Pre-Eclampsia related illness?

Mike Rich and Fiona Milne said:

Mike: In the UK it is estimated that one thousand babies die every year due to pre-eclampsia. Worldwide the number probably runs in to the hundreds of thousands.

Rebecca wants to know: "How many people a year die in Britain because of this complication?"

Mike Rich and Fiona Milne said:

Fiona: The most recent report is out today. This shows that 14 women have died in the UK in the last three years. The number of "near misses" is a hundred times that number. The report highlights the need for an early assessment of a woman’s risk factors so that she can get the care that she needs to protect her and her baby.

Millie wants to know: "Is there any way of identifying if I am at high risk of suffering from pre-eclampsia before making the decision to get pregnant?"

Mike Rich and Fiona Milne said:

Mike: The risk factors that you need to be aware of are as follows; A first pregnancy, a multiple pregnancy, if you're aged forty or over, if you have a BMI of thirty five or over, whether your mother or sister or yourself has had pre-eclampsia or whether you suffer from any underlying conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes or kidney disease...

...Fiona: Many women have pre-eclampsia and have a happy and healthy baby and are fine themselves. The thing to worry about is making sure that you are being cared for during your pregnancy.

Emma wants to know: "Is the report you talked about [Moderator note: see Rebecca's question] available to the public? "

Mike Rich and Fiona Milne said:

Mike: Yes the report is available to the public. You will be able to access much of it on www.cemach.org.uk or look on the website of The Royal College of Obstetricians and gynaecologist and that’s www.rcog.org.uk

Emma wants to know: "Fiona - I'm so sorry to hear that you lost your baby. Congratulations on finding the strength to talk and help others x"

Mike Rich and Fiona Milne said:

Fiona: Thank you very much for this. I also went on to have a healthy daughter Eleanor, which has helped enormously.

Jackie wants to know: "When you say the number of near misses is high in pre-eclampsia, what do you mean 'near-misses'? Is it really that life threatening? I know its a common illness for pregnant women but if its managed during pregnancy then it can all be ok right?"

Mike Rich and Fiona Milne said:

Fiona: By "near misses" we mean women who have had either severe pre-eclampsia, eclampsia or HELLP syndrome. You are absolutely right however, that the majority of women with pre-eclampsia are fine afterwards. The main problem is that it can come on very quickly, which is why it is important to know the symptoms and know what to do when you think you may have them.

Barney wants to know: "A very good friend was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia and was monitored regularly, went through all of the necessary steps to protect herself and her baby, despite this, and despite the fact that her doctors were informed of her at risk status, she was induced and held in labour for over 36 hours. Is this evidence that doctors are not well enough informed of the severity of the condition?"

Mike Rich and Fiona Milne said:

Mike: Unfortunately we cannot comment on individual cases and neither of us are doctors. However, during a pre-eclamptic pregnancy doctors are often performing a balancing act taking into account that health of the mother and the baby. One of the things we do as an organisation is encourage increased professional awareness through study days... Fiona: We have also just finished the most comprehensive review of the literature on pre-eclampsia, which is available to all healthcare professionals in the form of a guide line and supporting evidence.

Haley wants to know: "I think it's fantastic that this charity has been set-up. Not enough people know about pre-eclampsia and having suffered from it myself during both my pregnancies I think more women need to know the facts so that they can be prepared and make sure they get all the right checks done. Are there local support groups available?"

Mike Rich and Fiona Milne said:

Mike: Action on Pre-Eclampsia does not have local support groups as such however, we run a befriending service through which we can put you in touch with somebody who has previously been affected by pre-eclampsia and can offer you support and advise. If you ring our helpline on 0208 427 4217 we will be able to start the process of finding you a befriender or you can join the organisation and join the thousand women who share their experiences and receive regular information and newsletter. So look forward to hearing from you! Thank you for all your questions and we wish you all a happy and healthy pregnancy. If you go to our website there is a facility to ask direct questions to us via email. mikerich@apec.org.uk