AN EVESHAM charity has praised bosses at EastEnders for highlighting and raising awareness of pre-eclampsia in a recent storyline.
Action on Pre-eclampsia has welcomed the series of episodes on the BBC soap this week which focuses on actress Lacey Turner’s character, Stacey, and the affects of pre-eclampsia.
The charity has praised the story line which it says has ‘sensitively’ handled the condition which affects up to 10 per cent of first time pregnancies in the UK every year.
In the early stages of pre-eclampsia there are often no symptoms at all and is why all pregnant women need regular checks of blood pressure and urine to spot it.
Pre-eclampsia can develop unexpectedly in any pregnancy and isn’t caused by adverse life events. If detected, prompt delivery can prevent fits in the mother.
Action on Pre-eclampsia has supported tens of thousands of women over the last 25 years through their education programme for midwives who continue to offer vital specialist training and support to women and patient organisations worldwide.
The charity’s CEO, Marcus Green, said: “Actress Lacey Turner and EastEnders have sensitively handled a real trauma for very many pregnant women.
“In the UK today, pre-eclampsia affects up to 10 per cent of first time pregnancies, with severe pre-eclampsia affecting about one or two in every 100 pregnancies.
“Pre-eclampsia is the most common of the serious complications of pregnancy. It is caused by a defect in the placenta, which supplies the baby with nutrients and oxygen from the mother’s blood. While we still do not know the root cause of pre-eclampsia, medical science is expanding our knowledge every day.
“This common condition can be fatal for both mother and baby. Every six minutes, a mum dies of it somewhere in the world. Thankfully, good care means less than one in a million pregnant women die of pre-eclampsia in the UK.”
Anyone affected by the storyline should contact Action on Pre-eclampsia by visiting www.APEC.org.uk.
