Introduction:
HELLP syndrome is a rare gestation complication. It is a type of preeclampsia that has common symptoms. However, pain in the upper part of the belly and blurred vision are common in this condition. Numerous women with HELLP syndrome need to deliver their babies early.
What Is HELLP Syndrome?
HELLP syndrome is a serious gestation complication that is hazardous to the blood and liver. HELLP represents these blood and liver complications.
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H: Hemolysis. Disintegration of red blood cells carrying oxygen from the lungs to the whole body.
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EL: Elevated liver enzymes. High amounts of these chemicals in the blood can be a sign of liver problems.
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LP: Low platelet count. Platelets are small particles of blood cells that help the blood clot. A low platelet count will ultimately result in heavy bleeding.
HELLP syndrome is rare, occurring in about 2 percent of 1,000 births. HELLP generally develops in the third trimester of gestation, but it occasionally develops in the week after a baby is born. However, the liver may bleed, causing discomfort or pain in the chest or womb. It is a clinical urgency that needs immediate treatment. Without early treatment, 25 percent of women with HELLP have deadly complications. The absence of treatment leads to the death of a small number of women. Regular prenatal care can help reduce the threat of having HELLP again. HELLP syndrome generally goes down after giving birth.
What Causes HELLP Syndrome?
The etiology of HELLP syndrome is unknown, but the threat of HELLP increases in the presence of preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a deadly blood pressure condition that can arise after 140 days or 20 weeks of pregnancy or after giving birth. Eclampsia occurs when preeclampsia is uncontrolled and leads to seizures, which are unforeseen, abnormal electrical exertion in the brain that can result in changes in movement and behavior.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of HELLP Syndrome?
Signs of a condition are effects someone differently can see or know about, like a rash or coughing. Symptoms are effects that the patient can feel on their own that others cannot distinguish, like suffering from a sore throat or dizziness. Signs and symptoms of HELLP disorder can emerge during gestation or after giving birth. Some women develop HELLP spontaneously, without any prior signs or symptoms.
Signs and symptoms of HELLP syndrome are:
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Vague vision.
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Chest pain.
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Migraine, fatigue (feeling really tired), or feeling bad.
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Nausea or throwing up/vomiting that gets worse.
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Bleeding that does not stop.
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Seizures which are rare.
HELLP is occasionally misdiagnosed due to common signs and symptoms with other health conditions:
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Flu or other viral illness.
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Gallbladder disorder.
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Hepatitis (inflammation of the liver).
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Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (also called ITP). This is a bleeding disorder.
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A lupus flare is a time period when the patient has numerous or violent lupus symptoms. It is an autoimmune disorder causing health problems during gestation. Autoimmune diseases are health conditions that occur when antibodies attack healthy tissues by mistake. Lupus and other autoimmune diseases can cause swelling, pain, and occasionally organ destruction. It can also affect joints, skin, kidneys, lungs, and blood vessels.
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Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura is an infrequent condition that gives rise to blood clot formation in small blood vessels in the body, causing deadly health problems if they obstruct the inflow of blood to organs like the brain, kidneys, and heart.
What Health Problems Can HELLP Cause?
HELLP syndrome can lead to the following conditions:
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A section of women with HELLP develop disseminated intravascular coagulation, which is a blood coagulating disease that can lead to heavy bleeding (also called hemorrhage).
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Fluid accumulation in the lungs leads to breathing problems.
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Renal failure.
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Liver (hepatic) bleeding or failure.
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A placental tear is a serious condition in which the placenta breaks up from the wall of the uterus prior to birth.
How Is HELLP Syndrome Diagnosed?
To find out the presence of HELLP syndrome, a physical test is done to check:
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Stomach pain or soreness, especially in the upper right side.
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An enlarged liver.
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High blood pressure.
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Inflammation in the legs.
Blood tests are required to check the hepatic/liver enzyme situation and the platelet count. A CT (computed tomography) checkup is done to see if there is bleeding in the liver. A CT checkup is a test that uses radiographic imaging systems (X-rays) to take pictures of the body. The physician may do tests like a non-stress test or ultrasound to check the baby’s health. A test known as fetal heart rate monitoring checks the baby’s heart rate in the womb to see how the heart rate changes when the baby moves and to make sure the baby’s getting enough oxygen. Ultrasound uses sound signals and a computer system to represent an image of the baby inside the womb.
Numerous women are diagnosed with preeclampsia before suffering from HELLP. Occasionally, signs and symptoms of HELLP are the first signs of preeclampsia.
How Is HELLP Syndrome Treated?
Drugs are administered to control the blood pressure and help control seizures during the presence of HELLP and may require a blood transfusion. Still, the mother is required to give birth as soon as possible in the presence of HELLP syndrome. This may mean that the baby is born prematurely, before 37 weeks of gestation. Beforehand birth may be necessary because HELLP complications can get worse and detrimental to both the mother and the baby. However, drugs called prenatal corticosteroids are administered to help speed the baby’s lung growth. Induced labor with drugs or other therapies is forced in the majority of cases. Or the mother may have the baby by cesarean birth (also called c-section). This is surgery in which the baby is born through a cut that the surgeon makes in the belly and uterus.
Conclusion:
HELLP syndrome is a rare gestation complication. It is a variety of preeclampsia that leads to increased hepatic enzymes and low platelet count. However, get care right down. If signs of HELLP syndrome are encountered, numerous women are required to give birth early to help reduce health complications. HELLP syndrome is hardly life-endangering. For the majority of women with HELLP, symptoms reduce or disappear within a few days or after giving birth.
