Understanding the Difference Between Preeclampsia and Eclampsia

Reviewed by Dr. Aartee ,

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Last updated: March 17, 2025

Synopsis

Both preeclampsia and eclampsia are pregnancy-related conditions. The latter occurs due to the progression of the former. The key difference between preeclampsia and eclampsia is the severity of the conditions, as eclampsia can be life-threatening if not treated immediately. The two also have differences in their diagnosis, symptoms, and treatment.

What is Preeclampsia?

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-related condition that occurs after about 20 weeks of gestation. If the woman has high blood pressure, protein in her urine, or other underlying health issues such as diabetes or kidney damage, then it can be diagnosed as preeclampsia.

Some common symptoms of this disorder include consistent headaches, swelling in the hands, faces, and legs, pain in the upper abdomen, blurry vision, shortness of breath, and nausea or vomiting.

What is Eclampsia?

Although an uncommon occurrence, eclampsia refers to a severe condition that can develop in women with preeclampsia. Eclampsia occurs when preeclampsia worsens, and the individual begins to experience seizures. Seizures can be defined by extreme shaking and confusion as a result of strange brain activity.

If not diagnosed and treated in time, eclampsia can cause various life-threatening problems such as brain damage or coma. This can be dangerous for both the mother and the baby.

Key Differences: Preeclampsia Vs Eclampsia

1. Diagnosis

Preeclampsia:
This can be diagnosed through various tests that can be conducted by your doctor. These tests include:

Blood Pressure Monitoring: This is useful in identifying whether your blood pressure is consistently high.
Urine Tests: This can determine how much protein is in your urine.
Blood Tests: The results of blood tests can reveal any issues with your kidneys, platelets, or red blood cells.
Creatinine Tests: These tests can help you evaluate the condition of your kidneys by measuring the amounts of waste products in your body.

Eclampsia:
When a woman with preeclampsia experiences seizures, it can be diagnosed as suffering from eclampsia. Apart from this, the doctors can also run additional tests, similar to the diagnostic tests for preeclampsia, to identify any underlying conditions.

2. Symptoms

Preeclampsia:
The symptoms of preeclampsia include upper abdominal pain, headaches, swelling, trouble breathing, nausea, confusion, visual disturbances, and increased anxiety.

Eclampsia:
Eclampsia has all the same symptoms as preeclampsia. The only differentiating symptom is that women with eclampsia also have seizures. During these, the women lose their consciousness and experience various jerky movements.

3. Severity

Preeclampsia:
In most cases, preeclampsia is of mild severity. However, even when the condition is severe, it can be monitored and managed with ease.

Eclampsia:
This condition needs immediate medical attention as it can cause various life-threatening problems for both the baby and the mother.

4. Treatment

Preeclampsia:
A woman suffering from preeclampsia can be given blood pressure medications to better control hypertension. Along with this, bed rest and a possible early delivery are also treatment options for preeclampsia.

Eclampsia:
Some doses of magnesium sulfate are given to control and prevent seizures, and the woman is closely monitored. However, the immediate delivery of the baby is the only way to treat this condition.

Impact on Fertility & Pregnancy

While both preeclampsia and eclampsia do not cause any long-term challenges for fertility, they can create various complications for pregnancies.

Preeclampsia:

Preeclampsia can cause problems with blood clotting. Some women may experience too much clotting, while others’ bodies may lose this ability significantly. This is concerning, especially when pregnant, as the body requires blood clotting to prevent excess bleeding during childbirth. Diminishing this ability can increase pregnancy risks.
This can restrict your fetus from growing and lead to a low birth weight.
Chances of a preterm delivery can increase due to preeclampsia.
Placental abruption, a medical condition where the placenta separates from the uterine wall, can occur. This can cause a stillbirth.

Eclampsia:

Women with a history of eclampsia can have a recurrence of the condition in their future pregnancies.
Similar to preeclampsia, this can also hinder the functioning of the placenta and cause complications such as a preterm delivery or a stillbirth.

Prevention & Monitoring

The exact causes of preeclampsia and eclampsia are still unknown; hence, they cannot always be prevented. However, constant monitoring and early detection can help greatly. Here are the preventions in detail for Preeclampsia Vs Eclampsia.

Preeclampsia:

Aim to maintain a healthy weight. Consume meals that are balanced and nutritious, and do moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes a day.
Regularly attend all your prenatal appointments, and be sure to monitor your blood pressure and the protein levels in your urine.
In case you are at a higher risk, the doctor may recommend you take a low-dose aspirin.
Try to manage conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes if you have any.

Eclampsia:

If you have been diagnosed with preeclampsia, manage all your symptoms well. Treatment of preeclampsia symptoms can stop the condition from progressing into eclampsia.
For severe, high-risk women, medicines like magnesium sulfate may be given. These medications can prevent seizures, but their dose needs to be monitored.
The health of the mother and the baby should be monitored closely and continuously.

Conclusion

While the two may seem similar, preeclampsia is a much less severe form of eclampsia. If you experience the symptoms of any of the two conditions, contact a doctor at Indira IVF Clinic immediately. We are here to make sure that you can carry out a successful pregnancy with minimal complications and the complete safety of you and your child.