HELLP syndrome is a rare but serious condition that can happen when

you’re pregnant or right after you have your baby. HELLP stands for the
different things that happen when you have it:

Hemolysis: This is the breakdown of red blood cells. These cells carry

oxygen from your lungs to your body.

Elevated Liver Enzymes: When levels are high, it could mean there’s

a problem with your liver.

Low Platelet Count: Platelets help your blood clot.

What It Is
HELLP syndrome causes problems with your blood, liver, and blood
pressure. If left untreated, these issues can hurt you and your baby.

There may be a link between HELLP syndrome

and preeclampsia and eclampsia. Preeclampsia is when a pregnant
woman has high blood pressure and damage to other organs such as
their liver and kidneys. It usually starts after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Eclampsia is a more severe form of preeclampsia that includes seizures.

HELLP syndrome can cause major complications. These include:

 Seizures
 Stroke
 Liver rupture
 Placental abruption (separation of the placenta from the wall of the
uterus before the baby is born)

Placental abruption can cause bleeding, affect your baby’s growth, and

lead to premature birth or stillbirth.

Causes
Doctors don’t know what causes HELLP syndrome. Your chance of it is
higher if you’ve had it before. Most women who get it have high blood
pressure first. But you can get HELLP with normal blood pressure.

Experts think your odds may be higher if you:

  Are older than 25
 Are Caucasian
 Have given birth two or more times before

Symptoms
These often come on quickly. They include:

 Fatigue
 Blurred vision
 Sudden weight gain
 Swelling, especially in the face and hands
 Headache
 Nausea or vomiting
 Seizures
 Pain in the upper right part of your belly
 Nosebleed
 Bleeding that doesn’t stop as quickly as usual

Diagnosis
If you have symptoms of HELLP syndrome, talk to your doctor. They’ll
do a physical exam and tests to check for things like:

 High blood pressure

 Pain in the upper right side of your belly
 Enlarged liver
 Swollen legs
 Liver function
 Blood platelet count
 Bleeding into your liver

Treatments
The main solution for HELLP syndrome is to give birth as soon as
possible. This means your baby may have to be born early. The risks are
too serious for you and your baby if you stay pregnant with HELLP
syndrome.

Treatment may also include:

  Corticosteroid medicine to help your baby’s lungs develop more
quickly
 Medicine for high blood pressure
 Meds to prevent seizures
 Blood transfusion

Prevention
There’s no way to prevent HELLP syndrome. The best thing you can do
is keep yourself healthy before and during pregnancy and watch for
early signs of the condition. The following steps can help:

 See your doctor regularly for prenatal visits.

 Tell your doctor if you’ve had any high-risk pregnancies or
someone in your family has had HELLP syndrome, preeclampsia,
or other blood pressure problems.
 Know the symptoms and call your doctor ASAP if you have them