Mass. General Doctors Study Promising New Preeclampsia Treatment

BOSTON (CBS) – It’s a new way to treat one of the most common pregnancy complications, preeclampsia. Currently, doctors have no choice but to deliver the babies of women with preeclampsia, but as Dr. Mallika Marshall explains, local doctors are using a new method to help bring those babies closer to term. “She’s been so far a very good girl,” a good girl indeed but Meghan Sise hasn’t even met her baby girl yet. Thirty-nine weeks pregnant, the Massachusetts General Hospital nephrologist says there was one potential complication in particular that worried her, preeclampsia. It’s a condition which can cause kidney failure, liver failure, high blood pressure and seizures in the mom. “My biggest fear would be a preterm delivery and you’re deciding what has to happen for mom,” says Meghan, “But it’s not necessarily the best thing for baby. That’s the decision that every woman is so scared of.” About 200,000 women in the U.S. suffer from preeclampsia every year. The only treatment is to deliver the baby which isn’t such a big deal if the pregnancy is at term, but if mom is only six or seven months along, it’s more of a concern, says Dr. Jeff Ecker, a high risk obstetrician at Mass. General. “There’s the morbidity that goes along with that but also the real chance of a baby dying from being born early,” explains Dr. Ecker. To change that doctors at Mass. General are studying a new therapy similar to dialysis wher...
Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Health Local News Seen On WBZ-TV Syndicated Local Watch Listen Dr. Mallika Marshall Mass General Hospital preeclampsia Source Type: news