Two main diagnostic criteria for preeclampsia are which of the following?

• A. Edema and Hypertension
• B. Hypertension and Proteinuria
• C. Proteinuria and Edema
• D. Headache and Visual Changes

Answer: (B)

Preeclampsia is diagnosed when there is new-onset high blood pressure after about 20 weeks of gestation accompanied by protein in the urine. The combination of hypertension and proteinuria reflects two key effects of the condition: blood vessels that are abnormally constricted and leaky, and the kidneys showing evident damage from that process. Edema by itself isn’t specific to preeclampsia and can occur in normal pregnancy, so it isn’t used as a diagnostic criterion. Headache or vision changes are serious warning signs of severe disease, but they’re symptoms rather than the defining diagnostic pair. If proteinuria isn’t present, preeclampsia can still be diagnosed if there’s new hypertension with evidence of end-organ dysfunction.