Preeclampsia is a condition that affects women during pregnancy. It is characterized by increased blood pressure and high levels of protein in the urine. Women with preeclampsia also experience swelling in the feet, legs, and arms.

Researchers suspect that excessive body fat or poor nutrition are the primary contributors to preeclampsia and eclampsia.

If left undetected, preeclampsia can lead to a more severe complication, known as eclampsia. Eclampsia can put you and your baby at risk, and can even lead to death (in rare cases).

How do preeclampsia and eclampsia affect the mother?

Preeclampsia and eclampsia can cause a host of complications for the mother, such as the following  

Hellp syndrome   hellp syndrome refers to three different conditions   low platelet count, elevated liver enzymes, and haemolysis. This generally occurs late in pregnancy and affects the processing of rbc, functioning of the liver, and blood clotting.

Seizures

Heart and renal failure

Water in the lungs

Bleeding from the liver

Reversible blindness

Effects of preeclampsia and eclampsia on the baby

Preeclampsia can lead to problems with the placenta in the initial stage of pregnancy. This may pose risks, including the following to the baby  

Lack of nutrients and oxygen, which may prevent the foetus to grow properly

Preterm birth

Stillbirth   this happens when the placenta is separated from the uterine wall

Infant death

Stillbirths are more common when the mother has suffered from a severe form of preeclampsia, like hellp syndrome.

Preeclampsia and eclampsia are linked to a myriad of health issues and life-long challenges for prematurely born babies. These may include cerebral palsy, learning disorders, epilepsy, deafness and blindness.

There is no particular cure for preeclampsia and eclampsia. Treatment, however, depends on how close you are to your due date, and how much the foetus has developed. In the case of mild preeclampsia, your doctor may recommend resting, healthy eating   that limits salt intake   and regular prenatal checkups.

Effects Of Preeclampsia And Eclampsia On You And The Baby

People suffering from sickle cell disease (scd) usually start showing symptoms very early. They can appear to show up even during the first year of life. Symptoms of a sickle cell vary from one person to another and can be mild to serious depending on the condition.

 

Sickle cell disease is a health condition that worsens with time. Despite the absence of any full-proof solution, some treatments prevent further complications. These treatments can help patients receive aid for a lifetime. Simply said, sickle cell diseases can be managed medically.

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Treatment

Treatment in a sickle cell patient depends on the severity of the symptoms. Preventing complications and relieving pain is the primary aim of the diagnosis. They can range from medications to blood transfusions.

 

Concerns

Some of the concerns that need to be taken care of during the treatment of scd are-

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	Prevent painful scenarios
	


A painful episode or sickle cell crisis can be avoided by consuming sufficient fluids, wearing warm clothing, and staying away from sudden temperature changes.

 


	
	Avoid infections
	


Children with sickle cell anemia are made safe from infections by using penicillin. Adults with anemia might need to take penicillin all their lives. Doctors should ensure that all vaccinations in children and adults are periodically done to avoid any infections. However, during the covid-19 pandemic sickle cell patients should take extra care.

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Medications

While there can be numerous ways to manage sickle cell treatment, medications help in a significant way. Some of the prescribed medicines are-


	
	Hydroxyurea- it reduces the frequency of sickle crises. Pregnant women should stay away from this according to experts.
	
	
	Crizanlizumab- this drug injected into the patient can help reduce the sickle crises in adults and children over the age of 16.
	
	
	Voxelotor- it is an oral drug used in children over 12. It lowers the risk of anemia by improving blood flow.
	
	
	Pain-relievers- narcotics to prevent excessive pain can also be used during the treatment.
	


 

Surgical procedures


	
	Blood transfusion
	


It is used to prevent stroke and other related complications in patients. This can increase the number of red blood cells in the body that can help reduce the symptoms.

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	Stem cell transplant
	


It is also called a bone marrow transplant and is used to replace affected bone marrow with a healthy one. This procedure is carried out between matched donor and recipient. Although it is a known cure for sickle cell disease, various risks involved make it a less used practice.

 

Can Sickle Cell Be Cured?

People with sickle cell disease often experience myriad symptoms of the disease that can be controlled by the right nutrition. Reports suggest that nutrition is an increasingly significant factor to prevent symptoms such as slow growth, lower body mass, joint issues, infections, pain crises, and anemia.

There is a greater than the typical requirement for both calories and micronutrients.

The nutritional requirement of a sickle cell patient emphasizes more on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and more similar food items. These can prevent any deficiencies in the body and also decrease any chances of disease exacerbation.

 


	
	High-calorie nutrient-dense diet
	


The usual energy intake in a sickle cell patient is normally lower than the average values. It is a case even when the condition is asymptomatic where the requirement drops to half the level. As a result, people with sickle cell diseases (especially kids) are at higher risk for impaired growth and considerably lesser fat and fat-free mass, with obesity also posing a risk. It is suggested to have adequate energy supplements in the diet to reach the minimum sufficient requirement of the body that can be done only by proper nutritional assessment.


	
	Adequate fluids
	


Avoiding dehydration is another significant factor to avoid any severe symptoms of sickle cell disease. Sickling of the erythrocytes aggravates in patients who perform hardcore physical work in the heat without drinking enough fluids. This leads to dehydration and can even result in constipation.


	
	Micronutrients
	


Micronutrient deficiencies can be found in sickle cell patients up to a great extent. Several vitamins and minerals like vitamin a, b6, c, e, carotenoids, zinc, and magnesium are often found in fewer numbers in scd patients. A significant drop in blood-antioxidant status may result in acute chest syndrome. The supplementation of these vitamins and minerals can reduce the number of sickled cells in the body. Plant phenols and flavonoids may also help in lowering oxidative stress.


	
	Calcium-rich food
	


Getting plenty of calcium-rich food like dairy products, leafy vegetables, cereals, and fruit juices aids the child's growth and development. This may lead to a stronger physical structure and a greater resistance to the disease.


	
	Omega-3 fatty acid
	


There are reduced proportions of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in sickle cell patients. These acids aid the fluidity of red blood cell membranes. As a result, they prevent sickle cell crises. Supplemental docosahexaenoic (dha) and eicosapentaenoic (epa) have shown numerous therapeutic benefits in scd patients.


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Role Of Nutrition In Sickle Cell Disease

Blood donation is a procedure carried out for the noble cause of helping patients and saving lives. As the healthy donor's blood is transfused into the patient, it gives them a new life. That said, the donor has to fulfill a few criteria to be eligible to donate blood.

Eligibility

While any healthy adult of any gender can donate blood, it is advised for males to donate once every three months and for females to donate once every four months. Some of the other criteria are-


	
	Age
	


Any person in the age group of 18 to 65 years can donate blood depending on other factors.


	
	Weight
	


A donor should be at least weigh 45 kilograms in order to be eligible.


	
	Pulse
	


The temperature and pulse of the donor should be normal during the time of blood donation.


	
	Hemoglobin
	


Hemoglobin in the blood should be at least 12.5 grams otherwise the donor stands ineligible.


	
	Childbirth
	


A female donor should have delivered at least 1 year ago and stopped lactation.


	
	Blood pressure
	


Ensuring that the systolic and diastolic pressures are within normal limits is a must.


	
	Malaria
	


One should not have malarial symptoms and not have been treated for the same in the last 3 months.


	
	Tattoo
	


A person should not have had a tattoo in the past 12 months.


	
	Immunization and vaccination
	


A donor should not have had shots for cholera, typhoid, diphtheria, tetanus, or plague in the last 15 days.


	
	Cancer
	


A person should be checked for cancer and should not have any signs of cancer in the body.


	
	Infection
	


There should not be hepatitis b, c, tuberculosis, leprosy, or hiv infection in the body.


	
	Diseases
	


A person should not have epilepsy, bleeding disorders, sickle cell, or thalassemia.


	
	Drugs
	


One cannot donate blood if injected intravenously ever. It may cause risk to the recipient.


	
	Heart issues
	


A person willing to donate cannot have any heart disease.


	
	Diabetes
	


People on oral drugs or dieting to control diabetes can donate blood while patients with insulin injections cannot.

 

Strictly prohibited


	
	Ones who have been tested hiv positive.
	
	
	People suffering from cardiac problems, hypertension, cancer, epilepsy, or kidney ailments.
	
	
	Donors who have consumed alcohol in the past 24 hours.
	
	
	Ones with a major dental procedure done in the last one month.
	
	
	Women with miscarriages in the past 6 months.
	



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Know Eligibility Rules For Donating Blood

Abstract

Background: it is essential to have an understanding of life expectancy and risk factors among patients with sickle cell disease (sickle cell anemia, hemoglobin diseases, and thalassemias). These are required to counsel the patients, target treatment, and plan the right clinical trials.

 

Methods: a research followed 3764 people ranging from birth to 66 years of age and suffering from scd. The procedure was done to understand the life expectancy and calculate the average age at death. Moreover, the study understood the reasons for the death in all 209 adults. It used the proportional-hazards regression analysis to know the risks for an untimely death in adults with sickle cell anemia.

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Results: when the results for young kids and adults with sickle cell anemia were observed, it was found that the average age at death was 48 for women and 42 for men. Moreover, suffering from hemoglobin c disease had an average mortality age of 60 for men and 68 years for women.

 

In people with sickle cell disease, 18% of deaths took place in patients with mainly renal organ failures. 33% of the tested patients were medically free of organ failures but episodes of pain crisis took their life. Out of these patients, 78% experienced chronic pain, chest syndrome, or both, while 22% suffered a stroke that took their lives.

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Clinical modeling showed that people with sickle cell anemia faced acute chest syndrome, seizures, kidney failure, a white-cell count of over 15, 000 per cubic mm, and a low hemoglobin level were related to a risk of early death.

 

Conclusions: results suggested that 50% of patients with sickle cell anemia lived beyond the age of 50. A huge share of those who lost their lives suffered no noticeable chronic organ failure. However, most of them died due to acute episodes of pain or stroke. Early death was seen highest among patients who had symptomatic disease. High levels of fetal hemoglobin suggested improved chances of survival and are assumably a credible source to foresee the risks and other factors related to adult life expectancy.


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Life Expectancy And Risk Factors Involved In Sickle Cell Disease

Air pollution affects the overall health of a human being. Whether it comes out of exhaust fumes from cars and factories or smoke from burning stubble air pollution, it is a cause of major concern. The effects of this can be seen in the growing number of asthma and other respiratory diseases. These diseases affect adults and children alike, however, it is the younger generation and elderly people who are more susceptible. Hence, it is extremely important to care about the quality of the air you breathe in. 


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What is the significance of the air quality index (aqi)?

The air quality index is a visual representation of pollutant levels in the air around you. A quick glance at this colour coded map can tell you if the air outside your home is likely to harm you or not. The code is broken down into 6 levels ranging from green which signifies minimal impact to red which marks pollution levels that can harm a healthy person and seriously impact those who are already ill. The higher the aqi, the higher the level of air pollution.

 

What are the steps to reduce air pollution?

Simply talking about how there need to be stricter laws about car emissions and the burning of waste will not help you. Here are a few things you can do to protect yourself and your family from the ill-effects of air pollution.


	
	Carpool: exhausts from cars and other vehicles are one of the biggest causes of air pollution. Do your part to reduce air pollution by restricting the amount you use your car. Try taking public transport to work or carpooling with colleagues. Similarly, avoid making individual trips every time you need something from the market. Make a list and when it s long enough, then step out.
	
	
	Limit indoor pollution: do not smoke indoors. When cooking, keep the exhaust fan on so that the smoke produced does not collect indoors. Avoid spraying air fresheners etc. While they may temporarily make the air smell fresh, in the long run, they contribute to air pollution.
	
	
	Use public transport try to use public transport and avoid the use of personal vehicles.
	


How to protect yourself from air pollution


	
	Refrain from morning walks routines to later hours.
	
	
	Use n95/99 face masks whenever you step out.
	
	
	Use air-purifying plants to purify the air around your surroundings.
	
	
	Ventilate your kitchen, and bathroom to keep yourself away from air pollution.
	
	
	Restrict outdoor activities for kids if there is a high level of air pollution
	
	
	Use air-purifiers in your surroundings.
	
	
	Try to take steam with a few drops of eucalyptus oil every day.
	
	
	Keep your car s environment fresh.
	
	
	Ventilate your home, open your windows and doors and allow the air to circulate during mid hours.
	
	
	Eat jaggery (aka gurr) to flush out pollutants from your lungs.
	
	
	Consume a diet rich in vitamin c, omega fatty acids
	


Hence, the other way to cut down this pollution is by bringing significant lifestyle changes in our daily living. Cutting down the number of diesel and petrol vehicles can also prove helpful. People should shift to cng and electric vehicles for daily commuting. These efforts, if practiced on a regular basis, can bring a huge decrease in pollution.

Air purifiers can also be a healthy option for indoor purposes.

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Why Should You Care About Air Quality?

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