Women in Texas who go through significant weight gain while they are pregnant for the first time have an increased chance of developing preeclampsia when giving birth. This is according to newly released research conducted on 62,000 women who had never given birth.
The Preeclampsia Foundation reports that an annual number of 10 million women will develop preeclampsia, a severe medical condition that often occurs during pregnancy and involves gestational high blood pressure. The condition causes the death of 76,000 pregnant women and a projected 500,000 infants every year.
Being obese prior to getting pregnant has already been recognized as a preeclampsia risk factor. However, research that was conducted on the issue produced conflicting data regarding the manner in which the condition is impacted by significant weight gain within the initial 20 weeks of pregnancy.
The results of the current study revealed that experiencing a significant weight gain during the second half of a pregnancy increases the likelihood that the woman will have preeclampsia. One of the gravest side effects of preeclampsia is stillbirths. The mothers with the condition can also be susceptible to stroke, seizures, kidney failures and other serious health issues.
Women whose infants sustained birth injuries or any other birthing complications due to the negligent medical care provided by a physician may discuss their legal options with a medical malpractice attorney. The attorney could pursue financial compensation against the negligent parties for pain and suffering, permanent disability and more. Litigation may be used to hold the physician and the medical facility financially liable for any medical expenses that stemmed from the botched birth.
