World Preeclampsia Day is observed every year on 22nd May in order to raise awareness about preeclampsia, a major complication during pregnancy that is characterized by high blood pressure and the body’s inability to function normally while pregnant. This day is an international initiative that aims to promote diagnosing preeclampsia early, treating it promptly and providing adequate maternity care, as well as decreasing the chances of both maternal and foetal complications. At KD Super Speciality Hospital, we think early identification and preventative healthcare play critical roles in ensuring mothers have a safe and healthy pregnancy experience.

The theme for World Preeclampsia Day 2026 is “Know the Symptoms. Take Action.” This theme highlights how important it is to be able to recognize signs of preeclampsia as soon as possible. Signs of preeclampsia include severe headaches, blurry vision, sudden swelling of both the face and/or hands, pain in the upper abdomen, an increase in weight (2 pounds/day) and/or an elevated blood pressure reading. By going to see your doctor immediately after identifying one of these signs can help decrease your chances of developing major complications and having a negative outcome for your pregnancy.

Preeclampsia typically begins after the 20th week of pregnancy and can affect many of the body’s organs including the kidney, liver and brain. If not properly treated, it can lead to seizures, premature labour, or even possibly death. Regular prenatal visits and appropriate monitoring are critical to help identify risk factors early and enable early access to medical care.

Preeclampsia has many risk factors which include having your first baby, being pregnant with more than one baby, being overweight, having diabetes, having high blood pressure, having kidney disease, being older than 35 when you have a baby, and having a baby through IVF or assisted reproductive techniques. If a woman has any of these preeclampsia risk factors she must be closely supervised by a doctor for the duration of her pregnancy.

At KD Super Speciality Hospital, our experienced gynecologists and maternal taking care of women during their pregnancies by providing early screening for preeclampsia and high-risk pregnancies as well as advanced prenatal care. When a woman is seen for the first time during her first trimeter between weeks 11-14, the doctor will check for high blood pressure, conduct a Doppler ultrasound, and check for protein in her urine. In the second and/or the third trimester, blood tests and ultrasounds on the fetus will be performed and these results will help reduce the risk of complications while treating the patient properly.

In order to reduce the risk of complications during a pregnancy, women should try their best to attend all doctor’s appointments, eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and monitor their blood pressure. Additionally, if a woman has higher chances of developing severe preeclampsia, her doctor may recommend that she take calcium supplements or other preventive medications.

World Preeclampsia Day is an opportunity to raise awareness regarding maternal health and quality pregnancy care. At KD Super Speciality Hospital, we will continue to provide compassionate maternity care, advanced diagnostic testing, and specialty care to promote safe motherhood and healthy babies. Early diagnosis, timely treatment, and early intervention will help prevent the potential complications of preeclampsia.