LeAPH Clinic Offers Support Pregnant Mothers to Manage the Effects of Pre-Eclampsia
It’s World Pre-eclampsia Day 2025 and our maternity teams are raising awareness about the impact of a condition that can have far-reaching consequences for women and their families.
What is Pre-Eclampsia?
Preeclampsia is a serious condition where high blood pressure develops during pregnancy, affecting both the mother and unborn baby.
What are the signs and symptoms of Pre-eclampsia?
Initially, Pre-eclampsia has no obvious symptoms, and most women with the condition feel normal and well. The first signs of Pre-eclampsia are often detected during routine antenatal visits with a healthcare professional, which is why regular check-ups during pregnancy that include blood pressure checks are so important.
Early signs and symptoms of preeclampsia include:
- A sudden rise in blood pressure so that levels exceed the initial level at the start of pregnancy
- Excess protein in the urine, which can be a sign of kidney damage
- Swelling of hands face and ankles
- Reduced growth/movements of the baby
Why is it important to seek help for Pre-eclampsia and Hypertension in pregnancy?
Preeclampsia puts stress on the heart and other organs and is associated with a number of serious effects, including kidney dysfunction, swelling of hands, feet and face, dizziness, headaches and difficulties with vision. It also increases the risk of the mother developing cardiovascular disease or other heart conditions in the future.
If left untreated, preeclampsia can lead to serious complications such as convulsions, kidney or liver failure, and blood clotting problems. In severe cases, preeclampsia can lead to maternal and infant death. In some cases, the baby needs to be delivered early.
Preeclampsia usually resolves after the baby is born and the placenta is delivered, and the mother’s blood pressure usually returns to normal.
Pre-eclampsia is a global issue which affects over 76,000 mothers and 500,000 babies worldwide per year. Many lose their lives to pre-eclampsia and related hypertensive disorders of pregnancy every year. It is vital that women and their families seek advice and support of trained healthcare professionals to manage this condition.
Introducing the LeAPH (Lancashire Antenatal Pre-Eclampsia and Hypertension) Clinic
In Lancashire and South Cumbria, the LeAPH (Lancashire Antenatal Pre-Eclampsia and Hypertension) Clinic is able to offer a range of advice and support to women and their families.
The LeAPH (Lancashire Antenatal Pre-Eclampsia and Hypertension) Clinic is a service caring for those who have high blood pressure outside of pregnancy or have had a previous pregnancy complicated by high blood pressure and/or pre-eclampsia.
The team offer extra support and monitoring throughout your pregnancy journey which involves closely observing your blood pressure, testing your urine for protein and carrying out any additional blood tests needed to further monitor yours and your baby’s condition. The growth of your baby will be monitored closely, and any scans required will be arranged.
Mums will have the opportunity to monitor their blood pressure at home and upload their results to the BadgerNet App, where the team will be able to review them. Patients will be seen in the LeAPH Clinic as often as their pregnancy journey needs. Some of the care may also be carried by local midwives to minimise any unnecessary visits to the hospital.
The clinic is led by Dr Emma Ingram, Consultant Obstetrician and Lisa Cook, Specialist Midwife.
How do I contact the LeAPH service?
The contact telephone number for the clinic is 01772 524448. This phoneline may be busy but please persevere if you have any queries about your clinic appointment. If you need advice urgently, please call maternity triage on 01772 524495.
