Which finding is not a sign of severe preeclampsia?

Which finding is not a sign of severe preeclampsia?

• A. Proteinuria greater than 5 g/24 hours
• B. Visual disturbances
• C. Urine output less than 500 mL/24 hours
• D. White blood cell count greater than 15,000

Answer: (D)

The key idea is that severe preeclampsia is defined by hypertension plus signs of organ dysfunction, especially significant kidney, brain, liver, or platelet involvement. A very high protein level in the urine, specifically proteinuria over 5 g in 24 hours, and signs of renal impairment like very low urine output (<500 mL in 24 hours) reflect substantial kidney involvement. Visual disturbances indicate central nervous system involvement, which is a hallmark of severe disease. A white blood cell count over 15,000 is not a specific marker of severe preeclampsia. Leukocytosis can occur for many reasons in pregnancy or during stress and labor and does not by itself define the severity or presence of preeclampsia. So the not-a-sign option is the elevated white blood cell count, since it doesn’t indicate the organ dysfunction criteria that distinguish severe preeclampsia from milder forms or other conditions.

The key idea is that severe preeclampsia is defined by hypertension plus signs of organ dysfunction, especially significant kidney, brain, liver, or platelet involvement. A very high protein level in the urine, specifically proteinuria over 5 g in 24 hours, and signs of renal impairment like very low urine output (<500 mL in 24 hours) reflect substantial kidney involvement. Visual disturbances indicate central nervous system involvement, which is a hallmark of severe disease.

A white blood cell count over 15,000 is not a specific marker of severe preeclampsia. Leukocytosis can occur for many reasons in pregnancy or during stress and labor and does not by itself define the severity or presence of preeclampsia. So the not-a-sign option is the elevated white blood cell count, since it doesn’t indicate the organ dysfunction criteria that distinguish severe preeclampsia from milder forms or other conditions.