eclampsia
/ɪˈklam(p)sɪə
/noun [mass noun] Medicine
A condition in which one or more convulsions occur in a pregnant woman suffering from high blood pressure, often followed by coma and posing a threat to the health of mother and baby. See also pre-eclampsia.We determined whether a recorded history of gestational hypertension or pre-eclampsia or eclampsia predicted cardiovascular disease in later life, as indicated by measures of mortality and morbidity....
- Long term survival of mothers was addressed in 1976 by Chesley et al, who found no increased mortality in white women who had eclampsia in their first pregnancy.
- For example, it may be hypothesized that recurrence of eclampsia in pregnant women is more common in those that have family history of hypertension.
Derivatives
eclamptic
- An eclamptic fit indicates serious underlying disease and is usually self limiting and not inherently life threatening, although undesirable.
- Three episodes of eclamptic seizures are expected each year.
- Over 63 000 women die annually after eclamptic convulsions, with 99% of these deaths occurring in low and middle income countries.
Origin
Mid 19th century: modern Latin, from French éclampsie, from Greek eklampsis 'sudden development', from eklampein 'shine out'.