Patient information from BMJ

Preeclampsia: questions to ask your doctor

Last published:Dec 06, 2021

Finding out that you have preeclampsia can be frightening. You will probably have lots of questions.

Here are some questions that you may want to ask your doctor if you just found out that you have preeclampsia.

• What is the best treatment for me?

• How does it work?

• Does it have side effects?

• Will I need to stay in the hospital?

• How do you know if my baby is OK?

• Will my baby need to be born early?

• If my baby has to be born early, will he or she be all right?

• How will my baby be born? Will labor be induced?

• How will you know if the preeclampsia is getting worse?

• Is there anything I can do to help myself?

Here are some questions that you may want to ask your doctor before your next pregnancy, if you have had preeclampsia before.

• What are my chances of getting preeclampsia again?

• Is there anything I can do to stop it from coming on?

• Are there any tests I can have to detect medical problems that will make me more likely to get preeclampsia again?

• What sort of care will I need in my next pregnancy?

• How will you know if I am getting preeclampsia again?

• I had to have an operation to deliver my last baby. Will I need to have one again? (This operation is called a cesarean section.)