Toxemia of Late Pregnancy

Abstract

It is doubtful that chlorothiazide and related compounds will prove to be the “magic bullet” to eliminate toxemia of pregnancy. To the contrary, their improper use may result in appreciable harm to the mother and the fetus. Antihypertensive agents should be used only if hypertension is severe, and then simply to guard against intracranial hemorrhage, not necessarily to lower the blood pressure to normal. Magnesium sulfate has proved effective in prevention and control of the convulsions of eclampsia; the dosage schedule used at Parkland Memorial Hospital is described.