What is a key characteristic of mild preeclampsia?

In mild preeclampsia, a key characteristic is that the diastolic blood pressure is less than 100 mmHg. Preeclampsia is typically classified based on blood pressure readings and the presence of protein in the urine. Mild preeclampsia is defined as having elevated blood pressure that does not reach the severe range, which is characterized by diastolic blood pressure equal to or greater than 110 mmHg.

For diagnosis, specific criteria state that the systolic blood pressure should be 140 mmHg or higher, and the diastolic should be at least 90 mmHg but less than 100 mmHg to be considered mild. The proteinuria in mild preeclampsia is usually assessed as at least 1+ by dipstick, with more severe cases often showing higher levels of proteinuria.

Severe symptoms such as blurred vision would more commonly be associated with severe preeclampsia. Therefore, since diastolic blood pressure in mild preeclampsia must be under 100 mmHg, this characteristic distinguishes it clearly from more severe forms of the condition.