What is Hellp syndrome?

Answer:
HELLP syndrome is a life-threatening obstetric complication considered by many to be a variant of pre-eclampsia. Both conditions occur during the latter stages of pregnancy, or sometimes after childbirth.

HELLP is an abbreviation of the main findings:

Hemolytic anemia
Elevated Liver enzymes and
Low Platelet count

Read more of the article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/hellp_syndr...

I hope you're not having any health problems :(

---

HELLP syndrome is a life-threatening obstetric complication considered by many to be a variant of pre-eclampsia. Both conditions occur during the latter stages of pregnancy, or sometimes after childbirth.

HELLP is an abbreviation of the main findings:

Hemolytic anemia
Elevated Liver enzymes and
Low Platelet count
Often, a patient who develops HELLP syndrome has already been followed up for pregnancy-induced hypertension (gestational hypertension), or is suspected to develop pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure and proteinuria). Up to 8% of all cases present after delivery.

There is gradual but marked onset of headaches (30%), blurred vision, malaise (90%), nausea/vomiting (30%), "band pain" around the upper abdomen (65%) and tingling in the extremities. Oedema may occur but its absence does not exclude HELLP syndrome. Arterial hypertension is a diagnostic requirement, but may be mild. Rupture of the liver capsule and a resultant hematoma may occur. If the patient gets a seizure or coma, the condition has progressed into full-blown eclampsia.

Patients who present symptoms of HELLP can be misdiagnosed in the early stages, increasing the risk of liver failure and morbidity (Padden, 1999). rarely post caesarean patient may present in shock condition mimicking either pulmonary embolism or reactionary haemorrhage.


Diagnosis
In a patient with possible HELLP syndrome, a batch of blood tests is performed: a full blood count, liver enzymes, renal function and electrolytes and coagulation studies. Often, fibrin degradation products (FDPs) are determined, which can be elevated. Lactate dehydrogenase is a marker of hemolysis and is elevated (%26gt;600 U/liter). Proteinuria is present but can be mild.

Classification
The platelet count has been found to be moderately predictive of severity: under 50 million/L is class I (severe), between 50 and 100 is class II (moderately severe) and %26gt;100 is class III (mild). This system is termed the Mississippi classification (Martin et al 1990).

Pathophysiology
The exact cause of HELLP is unknown, but general activation of the coagulation cascade is considered the main underlying problem. Fibrin forms crosslinked networks in the small blood vessels. This leads to a microangiopathic hemolytic anemia: the mesh causes destruction of red blood cells as if they were being forced through a strainer. Additionally, platelets are consumed. As the liver appears to be the main site of this process, downstream liver cells suffer ischemia, leading to periportal necrosis. Other organs can be similarly affected. HELLP syndrome leads to a variant form of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), leading to paradoxical bleeding, which can make emergency surgery a serious challenge.


[edit] Treatment
The only effective treatment is delivery of the baby. Several medications have been investigated for the treatment of HELLP syndrome, but evidence is conflicting as to whether magnesium sulfate decreases the risk of seizures and progress to eclampsia. The DIC is treated with fresh frozen plasma to replenish the coagulation proteins, and the anemia may require blood transfusion. In mild cases, corticosteroids and antihypertensives (labetalol, hydralazine, nifedipine) may be sufficient. Intravenous fluids are generally required.

---

The last two posters pretty much answered your question, but I just wanted to add that sometimes someone with HELLP Syndrome only developes one symptom such as in my case low platelets (23,000) at 35 weeks pregnancy and I also have a history of ITP followed by a splenectomy in 1996. which had corrected my low platelets at that time. It wasnt till my 35 week blood work where my platelets had dropped so low and baffled the drs. Since i had no spleen regrowth and no other symptoms of HELLp they just diagnosed it as HELLP/ITP..I was told I could die and was giving platelets and steriods and my son was delivered via emergency c section where i was put to sleep and my husband couldnt be in the room. I am doing research on it as we speak as I would love to have one more child in a few years of course. He is doing great now at 16 months but he was also born with low platelets and had to be in the nicu for 9 days...I hope you are not going through this, its a scary and horrible thing to face especially when you know nothing about it or dont know what the outcome is going to be..sorry for rambling i hope all is ok with you... Deanna

---