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toxemia of pregnancy

toxemia of pregnancy

6.5
An illness in pregnancy with high blood pressure, swelling, and protein in urine
  • noun
  • /tɒkˈsiːmiə əv ˈprɛɡnənsi/
  • Archaic
translation icon : toxemia del embarazo
  • Symptoms of toxemia of pregnancy include edema, protein in the urine, and elevated blood pressure.

Examples

  • The doctor diagnosed her with toxemia of pregnancy after noticing her high blood pressure and swelling.

  • Women with toxemia of pregnancy require careful monitoring for the health of both mother and child.

  • The doctor diagnosed her with toxemia of pregnancy.

  • Symptoms of toxemia of pregnancy include high blood pressure.

  • Symptoms of toxemia of pregnancy include edema, protein in the urine, and elevated blood pressure.

  • The doctor diagnosed her with toxemia of pregnancy after noticing her high blood pressure and swelling.

  • Women with toxemia of pregnancy require careful monitoring for the health of both mother and child.

Synonyms

preeclampsia
vstoxemia of pregnancy
  • Specialized
8 7.4

A serious pregnancy condition with high blood pressure, swelling, and protein in urine that can harm mother and baby

is the alternative or clinical name for the same condition
toxemia
vstoxemia of pregnancy
  • Archaic
1 8.7

A pregnancy illness with high blood pressure, swelling, and protein in the urine that can harm mother and baby

is the preferred clinical name for the same condition

Surface Forms

Morphology

toxemia + of + pregnancy

The phrase is compositionally built: 'toxemia' denotes a medical blood condition and 'of pregnancy' specifies that it occurs in pregnancy, so the overall meaning (toxemia occurring during pregnancy) is directly derivable from the parts. This follows a common medical noun + of + condition pattern found across languages, making it predictable for a learner who knows the constituent words.

Etymology

Toxemia of pregnancy comes from the old idea that toxemia means 'poison in the blood', so people imagined something harmful in a mother's blood during pregnancy. That's why the phrase refers to the serious condition we now call 'preeclampsia', with high blood pressure and swelling.