As a high-risk obstetrician, one of the most rewarding parts of my job is managing a potentially dangerous situation during a woman's pregnancy to achieve a positive outcome--a healthy mother and a healthy baby.

My area of expertise is preeclampsia, a complication that can strike quickly at any stage of pregnancy, but most commonly occurs in the latter part. The condition is marked by increased blood pressure and protein in the urine, which is a sign that the mother's kidneys are not working as well as they should. Because it affects the blood flow and the placenta, it can cause babies to be smaller than they should be, and can sometimes lead to fetal death.

While the condition is most certainly dangerous for the developing baby, preeclampsia can become a medical emergency for the mother. Left untreated, it can result in stroke, kidney and liver damage, fluid on the lungs, seizures, and in severe cases, maternal and infant death.

Sometimes, the mother's blood pressure can be controlled through medications, but ultimately, the only way to eliminate the symptoms for the mother is to deliver the baby, even if it is much too early.

Recent studies suggest that preeclampsia can have health implications for the rest of a woman's life. A woman who has had preeclampsia is thought to have a higher lifelong risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

In addition, some studies indicate that children born during a preeclamptic pregnancy are at increased risk of developing high blood pressure, stroke, epilepsy and infertility in adulthood.

Work is being done to find out why preeclampsia happens, what can be done to prevent it and better ways to treat it.

Risk factors include:

• Being younger than 17 and older than 35 with a first-time pregnancy.
• A family history of high blood pressure, diabetes or kidney disease.
• Being overweight and/or having a poor diet.
• Being of African-American heritage.