A 28-year-old pregnant woman who is at 34 weeks’ gestation presents to the emergency department complaining of a headache. She feels nauseous and has noticed some ankle swelling over recent days. This is her first pregnancy and she has been well up until this point.
#Examination
This woman’s heart rate is 70/min but her blood pressure is 160/90 mmHg on three
differ- ent readings, taken 10 minutes apart. Her heart sounds are normal and her chest sounds clear. A full neurological examination is significant for 6 beats of clonus at both ankles. The symphysis–fundal height is 34 cm (normal for the gestation) and the presentation is cephalic. The fetal heart rate is 130/min. Her urine has been dipped and shows the pres- ence of protein.
Questions
• What condition could this pregnant woman be suffering from?
• How would you manage the patient?