Postpartum Preeclampsia: What Can Stories Posted on the Internet Tell Us?

Abstract

Postpartum preeclampsia has not received the needed attention that preeclampsia has. It is the lesser-known hypertensive disorder but can be just as life-threatening as eclampsia. Because of the scarcity of qualitative research on postpartum preeclampsia, the purpose of this study was to help fill this gap by exploring personal experiences of this dangerous complication as described in online blogs. Using Google search engine, 25 stories of postpartum preeclampsia were located. Krippendorff's content analysis for qualitative data was the research design used. Five themes were identified: (1) Not even on my radar as a new mom, (2) Bombarded with physical and emotional symptoms, (3) Life-threatening situation: Dismissed or misdiagnosed, (4) Heartbroken: Separation from my newborn, and (5) Trust your instincts and advocate for yourself. Advanced practice nurses and other health care providers need to be on alert for postpartum preeclampsia when a woman, who recently gave birth, presents at the emergency department.