Understanding Pre-Eclampsia: Physiology, Risk, and the Complex Reality of Maternity Care
Pre-eclampsia is one of the few conditions in pregnancy where medical management — including induction of labour — is often genuinely necessary. And yet, as with many aspects of maternity care, the lived reality is not always straightforward. Recently, a client of mine was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia at term. She was advised she needed induction. However, due to lack of beds on the labour ward, she waited three days in hospital before a space became available. She was not considered urgent enough to be prioritised — but not considered low-risk enough to go home either. That tension raises important questions: When does waiting in hospital become safer than going home? If symptoms are mild and controlled, is spontaneous labour at home ever a reasonable option? At what point does the risk of escalation outweigh the risk of intervention? Firstly, let's clarify something: pre-eclampsia is a collection of symptoms which precedes an eclamptic fit and ultimately endothelial dysfunctio...
