Definition of HELLP syndrome:

HELLP syndrome is a group of symptoms that occur in pregnant women who have:

• H -- hemolysis
• EL -- elevated liver enzymes
• LP -- low platelet count

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

HELLP syndrome occurs in approximately 10% of pregnant women with pre-eclampsia or eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia may be mild or severe. Severe cases involve high blood pressure and protein in the urine and can progress to seizures (eclampsia). Severe cases are life-threatening to both mother and fetus. HELLP syndrome is associated with more serious cases.

It may occur long before a pregnancy reaches term (for example, HELLP at 30 weeks gestation). Many women have high blood pressure and are diagnosed with pre-eclampsia before they get HELLP syndrome. However, in some cases, HELLP symptoms are the first warning of pre-eclampsia and the condition is misdiagnosed as hepatitis, gallbladder disease, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, or thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.