Prevention and treatment of Prevention and Treatment of Pre-eclampsia and Eclampsia

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WHO Analysis: Prevention and treatment of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia

In completing the assignment for WHO analysis, required for Community and Global Health, examination of the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for the Prevention and treatment of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia has occurred. According to the guidelines, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy are prevalent and carry a high rate of morbidity. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness and plausibility of the WHO guidelines, which this author believes are effective, however the ability to enact the guidelines in developing countries, regardless of the lives saved, seems feeble at best.
Background
Pre-eclampsia and eclampsia are disorders of pregnancy. Both disorders are prevalent around the world. According to the Pre-eclampsia Foundation roughly 5-8% of pregnancies result in some form of gestational hypertension, with greater than 6.6 million females around the world ending up with the condition. If untreated pre-eclampsia can lead to eclampsia, which is a life threatening and emergent condition for mother and fetus.
Pre-eclampsia is a condition related to hypertension in pregnancy. Pre-eclampsia defined as “a multiorgan disease, characterized by hypertension and proteinuria, in the parturient after 20 weeks’ gestation. Although edema is no longer required for diagnosis, it is frequently present. Preeclampsia is considered to be severe when BP is greater than 160 mm Hg systolic and 110 mm Hg diastolic, proteinuria is greater than 5 g, or signs and symptoms are consistent with end organ damage.” (Cunningham, Rivera, & Spence, 2011) Symptoms that may reveal end organ damage according to Cunningham et al may include neurological changes, impairment...

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Talaulikar, V., & Arulkumaran, S. (2011). Failed induction of labor: strategies to improve the success rates. Obstetric and Gynecological Survey, 66(11), 717-728.
World Health Organization. (2011, July 1). Calcium supplementation during pregnancy for preventing hypertensive disorders and related problems . Retrieved from RHL the WHO Reproductive Library: http://apps.who.int/rhl/pregnancy_childbirth/antenatal_care/nutrition/cd001059_penasrosasjp_com/en/index.html
World Health Organization. (2011). WHO recommendations for Prevention and Treatment of Pre-eclampsia and Eclampsia . Retrieved from World Health Organization: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2011/9789241548335_eng.pdf?ua=1
World Health Organization. (2012, May). Maternal Mortality. Retrieved from World Health Organization: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs348/en/

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