Preeclampsia: The silent pregnancy threat claiming mothers and children

Doctors warn that early detection and regular antenatal care are crucial in preventing deaths linked to preeclampsia. [Courtesy]

The twins that Lynn Atieno, 31, waited years to conceive will grow up hearing stories about their mother. They will hear about a woman who dreamed of motherhood, carefully followed medical advice, endured weeks in hospital and looked forward to the day she would finally hold her children. They will also hear about the day that the dream ended.

For Lynn’s family, grief remains heavy. What should have been a celebration of new life became a period of mourning, unanswered questions and painful adjustment.

“We still have not accepted that she is gone,” says her cousin, Marlene Juma. “It feels like a nightmare.”

According to her relatives, Lynn was overjoyed when she discovered she was pregnant. After a long wait to conceive, the pregnancy represented hope and fulfilment. As the months progressed, however, she developed high blood pressure, a condition that was later diagnosed as preeclampsia. Because of the risks associated with the condition, she remained in the hospital for approximately five weeks before delivery. Family members say her condition appeared stable and was being closely monitored.

“She was strong and hopeful. She wanted everything to go well,” Marlene recalls.

Tragic turn

When doctors eventually scheduled an elective Caesarean Section (CS), relatives believed the most difficult part of the journey was over. Instead, tragedy followed.

Family members say that after surgery, Lynn appeared unusually weak compared with other mothers recovering in the ward. Concerned relatives repeatedly sought explanations. Hours later, her condition deteriorated and attempts to resuscitate her were unsuccessful.

An autopsy conducted by Consultant Pathologist Dr Massawa Thaddeus Jude concluded that the cause of death was excessive bleeding following an elective CS in a twin pregnancy. According to the report, she developed sudden complications approximately six hours later while recuperating in the ward. She died on April 22, 2026.

For Lynn’s aunt, Caroline Olonde, the pain extends beyond the loss itself. It includes watching newborn children begin life without their mother.

“The babies need their mother. That is what hurts the most,” she says. 

Lynn’s story reflects a broader maternal health challenge unfolding in Kenya. At Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH), doctors are reporting increasing numbers of women presenting with hypertensive disorders during pregnancy. Preeclampsia, a condition characterised by high blood pressure after 20 weeks of pregnancy, is becoming an increasingly common threat to both mothers and babies.

Hospital records show that nearly 30 out of every 300 deliveries are affected by hypertension during pregnancy. Some women develop severe preeclampsia, while others progress to eclampsia, a dangerous stage marked by seizures and potentially fatal complications.

Behind every statistic is a story. Some end in survival. Others end in grief.

One woman who survived the condition is Mercy Omondi, 36, a mother of three from Manyatta in Kisumu. Today, she holds a healthy child in her arms, but the memories of her pregnancy remain vivid.

Speaking to The Standard, Mercy says her ordeal began during the third trimester. Her body became swollen, breathing became difficult and headaches intensified. Every day activities became exhausting. “I knew something was wrong,” she recalls.

Hospital visits became frequent as doctors monitored her blood pressure and tried to prolong the pregnancy. Eventually, her condition worsened to the point that she required admission. She was only 32 weeks pregnant.

“The swelling was severe. I could barely move,” she says. 

Doctors faced difficult decisions. The baby was premature, her blood pressure remained dangerously high and complications continued to escalate. Labour was eventually induced. Her son was born underweight and required specialised care in the newborn unit.

Mercy remained in the hospital for 21 days.

Her son weighed only 1.8 kilogrammes. She was too weak to move around the facility properly and often struggled to visit him. Yet both mother and child survived.

The experience left emotional scars. “Even now, I do not want to hear about pregnancy. I’m not getting pregnant again any time soon,” she says.

During her stay in the hospital, she witnessed the experiences of other women facing similar complications. Some lost babies. Some delivered stillbirths. Some families received devastating news after months of anticipation.

The trauma remains part of her daily life. She still experiences anxiety and worries about future pregnancies. Yet she considers herself fortunate because she returned home with her child. She does blood pressure readings daily and avoids anything that might trigger it to rise again.

Medical experts say stories like those of Lynn, Mercy and many others underscore the urgency of addressing preeclampsia.

Severe effects

Dr Paul Odira, a resident in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at JOOTRH, describes preeclampsia as one of the most significant threats to maternal and newborn health.

“Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. It develops after around 20 weeks and can affect almost every organ in the body,” he explains.

Although researchers do not fully understand its exact cause, evidence points to abnormalities involving the placenta. The disease process begins in the placenta and eventually affects blood vessels throughout the body.

As blood vessels narrow, blood pressure rises. The effects can be severe.

Women may develop kidney failure, liver damage, bleeding in the brain, loss of consciousness and seizures. When seizures occur, the condition progresses to eclampsia.

“Eclampsia is essentially severe preeclampsia accompanied by convulsions,” says Dr Odira.

At JOOTRH, clinicians regularly manage women referred from across western Kenya because of the condition’s complexity. Some arrive unconscious, while others require emergency Caesarean sections, dialysis or intensive care.

One recent patient, according to Dr Odira, arrived after experiencing multiple seizures. She had developed kidney failure and serious neurological complications.

Such cases illustrate how rapidly the condition can progress.

The disease is equally dangerous for babies. Since the placenta supplies oxygen and nutrients to the foetus, reduced blood flow can compromise growth and development.

Babies born to mothers with severe preeclampsia often arrive prematurely. Others are born with very low birth weight. Some require prolonged stays in neonatal intensive care units because of breathing difficulties, infections and other complications.

“The baby may not receive enough oxygen or nutrition,” Dr Odira explains.

The long-term consequences can also be significant. Some children born prematurely face lifelong neurological or developmental challenges.

Hospital statistics suggest the burden is substantial. Between January and April 2026, JOOTRH recorded 349 cases of preeclampsia and 28 cases of eclampsia. The figures highlight the scale of the challenge facing healthcare providers in the region.

According to Dr Odira, referrals continue to increase because many lower-level facilities lack specialised services such as intensive care units, dialysis support and advanced newborn care.

The trend mirrors national and global concerns.

Data from LabFlow, working in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, indicate that up to nine per cent of pregnancies in Kenya develop preeclampsia. Approximately six per cent of affected women require hospitalisation because of severe disease or eclampsia.

The World Health Organisation estimates that preeclampsia affects between three and eight per cent of pregnancies globally. Hypertensive disorders account for roughly 16 per cent of maternal deaths worldwide and contribute significantly to newborn mortality.

In Kenya, maternal mortality remains a major public health challenge.

According to the Ministry of Health, approximately 5,000 women die every year from pregnancy- and childbirth-related complications. Newborn mortality is equally concerning, with about 30,000 newborn deaths recorded annually.

Statistics presented during the International Maternal Newborn Health Conference in Nairobi indicated that approximately 15 mothers and 92 newborns die every day from preventable causes. These figures translate into thousands of families experiencing loss each year.

Health experts argue that many of these deaths can be prevented through early diagnosis, quality antenatal care and timely intervention.

Dr Odira says routine antenatal visits remain among the most effective strategies for preventing severe complications.

“The earlier we identify risk, the better the outcomes,” he says.

During antenatal visits, healthcare workers monitor blood pressure, assess urine protein levels and identify women who may require closer observation.

Women with a history of preeclampsia, diabetes, obesity, chronic hypertension or a family history of the condition are considered to be at higher risk.

Age can also influence risk. Pregnancies among very young women and women over the age of 35 carry an increased likelihood of developing the condition.

Researchers continue to study why preeclampsia occurs. Emerging evidence suggests that genetic, immune and placental factors all contribute. Scientists are gaining a better understanding of the disease, but many questions remain unanswered.

Despite these uncertainties, doctors have made important advances in prevention and management.

For women identified as being at high risk, low-dose aspirin therapy initiated early in pregnancy has been shown to reduce the likelihood of severe disease.

However, these interventions depend on early antenatal attendance. Many women still begin clinic visits late, reducing opportunities for prevention. That reality concerns healthcare workers across Kenya.

Awareness remains uneven. While many women understand that high blood pressure can be dangerous, fewer appreciate the specific risks associated with pregnancy-related hypertension.

Dr Odira believes education remains essential.

“When women understand the warning signs, they are more likely to seek care early,” he says.

The consequences of delayed intervention can be devastating. In severe cases, women may experience sudden deterioration even after delivery. This is one reason healthcare providers continue monitoring mothers closely during the postpartum period.

Preeclampsia does not always end with childbirth. Complications can develop days or even weeks later. That reality makes maternal health far more complex than a single delivery event.

Nationally, policymakers are attempting to address these challenges.

President William Ruto recently launched the Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere (EWENE) Acceleration Plan 2026–2028. The initiative aims to strengthen maternal and newborn healthcare systems and reduce preventable deaths.

For Lynn’s family, however, the lessons have come too late.

Today, they continue adjusting to life without a daughter, cousin and mother whose long-awaited pregnancy ended in tragedy. 

The twins she carried now represent both hope and heartbreak. They are a reminder of a woman who dreamed of motherhood and of a healthcare challenge that continues to threaten women across Kenya.

As medics at JOOTRH manage increasing numbers of women with preeclampsia, they continue to emphasise the same message: early detection saves lives.

For every woman who survives, another family is left mourning. For every child who leaves the hospital healthy, another may face lifelong complications linked to premature birth and maternal illness.