Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
pre-eclampsia

pre-eclampsia

8.0
A pregnancy condition with high blood pressure, swelling, and protein in the urine
  • noun
  • /priː ɪˈklæmpsiə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : pre-eclampsia
  • Untreated pre-eclampsia can quickly progress to a more serious condition called eclampsia.

The first is that there are three studies, all of which showed very high efficacy for reducing the risk of something called pre eclampsia.

Examples

  • Doctors monitor blood pressure regularly to check for signs of pre-eclampsia during pregnancy.

  • She was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia during her pregnancy.

  • Early detection of pre-eclampsia is crucial for the safety of both mother and baby.

  • Is pre-eclampsia common among first-time mothers?

  • Doctors monitor blood pressure regularly to check for signs of pre-eclampsia during pregnancy.

  • Early detection of pre-eclampsia is crucial for the safety of both mother and baby.

  • Untreated pre-eclampsia can quickly progress to a more serious condition called eclampsia.

Synonyms

preeclampsia
vspre-eclampsia
  • 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 hyphenated form of the same medical term
toxemia
vspre-eclampsia
  • Archaic
1 8.7

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

uses fluid retention as the focal symptom rather than general swelling
toxemia of pregnancy
vspre-eclampsia
  • Archaic
6.5

An illness in pregnancy with high blood pressure, swelling, and protein in urine

is the hyphenated term in current usage rather than an older label

Surface Forms

pre-eclampsia singular
pre-eclampsias plural

Morphology

pre-eclampsia = eclampsia (semi-transparent) = pre + eclampsia

The meaning clearly relates to a condition occurring before or leading toward eclampsia, but the precise medical syndrome is not fully predictable from the prefix alone.

Etymology

The word pre-eclampsia is made of pre- meaning 'before' and eclampsia, a Greek-based word that means 'to shine' or 'burst out' because the severe attacks of eclampsia come on suddenly. So pre-eclampsia is the condition that appears 'before' full eclampsia, which is why doctors watch for early signs like high blood pressure and protein in the urine.