Which of these is not the sign of pre-eclampsia?

Appeared in: ESIC Nursing Officer 2016 (shift-1)

Explanation

Pyrexia, which means fever, is not a characteristic sign of pre-eclampsia.
Pre-eclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, and its primary signs relate to high blood pressure and organ damage.
Fever is a systemic response to infection or inflammation, which is a different pathological process from pre-eclampsia.
The presence of fever in a pregnant woman would suggest an infectious cause, such as chorioamnionitis or pyelonephritis, rather than pre-eclampsia.

Option A: Proteinuria, or the presence of excess protein in the urine, is a key diagnostic criterion for pre-eclampsia, indicating kidney dysfunction.
Option C: High blood pressure (hypertension), specifically a reading of 140/90 mmHg or higher after 20 weeks of gestation, is the cardinal sign of pre-eclampsia.
Option D: Edema, which is swelling caused by excess fluid trapped in the body's tissues, is a very common finding in women with pre-eclampsia, although it is no longer considered a mandatory diagnostic sign.

Visual 1: Infographic - A comparison chart showing the signs of a normal pregnancy versus a pregnancy with pre-eclampsia. This would highlight hypertension, proteinuria, and edema on the pre-eclampsia side, and explicitly state that fever (pyrexia) is not a sign.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Identification of the signs and symptoms of pre-eclampsia as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses must be vigilant in monitoring blood pressure and testing for proteinuria at every antenatal visit to screen for pre-eclampsia.
Early detection and management of pre-eclampsia are crucial to prevent progression to eclampsia (seizures) and other severe complications like HELLP syndrome.
Patient education is a key nursing role. Nurses should teach pregnant women to report symptoms like severe headaches, vision changes, or upper abdominal pain immediately.

How to Approach the Question

This is a negative-lead-in question, asking what is 'NOT' a sign.
First, recall the classic signs of pre-eclampsia.
The primary signs are new-onset hypertension and proteinuria after 20 weeks of gestation.
Associated signs can include edema, severe headaches, visual disturbances, and epigastric pain.
Evaluate each option against this knowledge.
Proteinuria, High blood pressure, and Edema are all associated with pre-eclampsia.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Identification of the signs and symptoms of pre-eclampsia.
Stem keywords: pre-eclampsia, sign
Lead-in keywords: not
Negative lead-in flag: The question asks to identify the option that is NOT a sign of pre-eclampsia.

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Practise the full ESIC Nursing Officer 2016 (shift-1)

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.