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HELLP Syndrome

The Basics

Written by the doctors and editors at UpToDate пїЅ пїЅ

What is HELLP syndrome? " пїЅ HELLP syndrome is a serious condition some women get when they are pregnant. It can cause pain in the upper belly and other symptoms. пїЅ пїЅ

HELLP syndrome usually happens in the last 3 months of pregnancy. It can also happen earlier, or even right after pregnancy " пїЅ1 or 2 days after the baby is born. пїЅ пїЅ

Some women with HELLP also have another medical problem that happens during pregnancy called "preeclampsia. " пїЅ Women with preeclampsia have high blood pressure and too much protein in their urine. пїЅ пїЅ

What are the symptoms of HELLP syndrome? " пїЅ The symptoms include: пїЅ пїЅ

  • Belly pain, especially in the upper belly
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Feeling sick

How will HELLP syndrome affect my pregnancy and my baby? " пїЅ HELLP syndrome can be dangerous for you and your baby. It can: пїЅ пїЅ

  • Harm your blood cells, and your liver, kidneys, and other organs
  • Harm your placenta " пїЅ The placenta is the organ that brings the baby nutrients and oxygen and takes away waste. It might pull away from the uterus before your baby is born. If this happens, your baby might not get all the nutrients and oxygen he or she needs. The placenta pulling away can also cause heavy bleeding that can be dangerous for you and your baby.

Having HELLP syndrome can make it more likely that your baby will: пїЅ пїЅ

  • Be born early " пїЅ Being born early can cause babies to have lung, eye, brain, and other problems.
  • Be small

Is there a test for HELLP syndrome? " пїЅ Yes. HELLP syndrome causes many changes in the blood. To check for the condition, your doctor or nurse can do a series of blood tests. You might also have other tests, but that is not always necessary. пїЅ пїЅ

Should I see a doctor or nurse? " пїЅ See your doctor or nurse right away if you are pregnant and: пїЅ пїЅ

  • You have belly pain, especially in your upper belly
  • You have nausea and vomiting, especially along with belly pain

How is HELLP syndrome treated? " пїЅ The only cure for HELLP syndrome is giving birth to the baby. Doctors usually treat the condition by giving women medicines to make them go into labor, even if that means the baby will be born early. In some cases, doctors do a c-section (surgery to get the baby out) instead of giving medicines that cause labor. The risks of having HELLP are worse than the risks of having a baby born early. пїЅ пїЅ

Doctors sometimes give women medicines called steroids for 2 days before delivering the baby. These medicines speed up the growth of the babys lungs so he or she can breathe more easily after birth. (The steroid medicines are not the same as the steroids that athletes take to build muscle.) пїЅ пїЅ

Other treatments might include: пїЅ пїЅ

  • Medicines to control high blood pressure
  • Medicines to prevent seizures (preeclampsia can cause seizures)

What if I want to get pregnant again? " пїЅ If you had HELLP syndrome in one pregnancy, you could have it again. You also have a higher chance of getting preeclampsia. пїЅ пїЅ

Before you get pregnant again, see your doctor or nurse for a checkup. Talk with your doctor, nurse, or midwife about HELLP syndrome, preeclampsia, and other health conditions that could affect your next pregnancy. пїЅ пїЅ

All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete. пїЅ пїЅ

This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Nov 04, 2014. пїЅ пїЅ

Topic 17162 Version 2.0 пїЅ пїЅ

Release: 22.8 - C22.208 пїЅ пїЅ

пїЅ пїЅ 2014 UpToDate, Inc. All rights reserved. пїЅ пїЅ

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пїЅ пїЅ 2014 UpToDate, Inc. All rights reserved. пїЅ пїЅ