How to Treat Hellp Syndrome
HELLP syndrome is an acronym for a group of symptoms that occur in women who have hemolysis--the breakdown of red blood cells--elevated liver enzymes and low platelet count. Hellp syndrome occurs in approximately 10% of pregnant women who have pre-eclampsia or eclampsia, which is hypertension. Some of the symptoms of HELLP syndrome are tiredness, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and blood in the urine.
Instructions
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How to Treat Hellp Syndrome
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If a woman believes she may have HELLP syndrome, she must see her obstetrician immediately. The obstetrician will tell the woman what next steps she should take.
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The obstetrician might give the mother a steroid to take. The medicine will protect both the mother and the baby from the harmful effects of HELLP syndrome before delivery of the baby.
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Deliver the baby. This is the main treatment of HELLP syndrome. This is advised even if the baby is premature. With HELLP syndrome, liver function in the mother gets worse very quickly and causes complications. The obstetrician will know if the time is right to deliver the baby.
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Get a blood transfusion. The mother's liver may hemorrhage or there may be bleeding after the emergency delivery. The mother will need a blood transfusion if she continues to bleed.
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Give baby intravenous (IV) fluids. If the baby is premature, the doctor will need to give the baby intravenous fluids with calcium and protein to address the low birth weight.
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Tips & Warnings
Preventing this illness is very difficult. The best thing a pregnant woman can do is to see her doctor regularly and tell the doctor about symptoms at every prenatal visit.
When the disease is not treated early, up to 25% of women develop serious complications.
If treatment of the mother's bleeding during and after delivery is delayed, it could result in permanent liver damage, which can be fatal.
