{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,25]],"date-time":"2026-06-25T12:52:19Z","timestamp":1782391939622,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,24]],"date-time":"2026-04-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1776988800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Med."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>In preeclampsia, the neurologic symptoms, especially a lingering headache, can sometimes mimic more severe intracranial conditions, pushing doctors to quickly consider early delivery. Obstructive hydrocephalus during pregnancy is an uncommon but tricky diagnosis, one that could easily be missed when hypertension and proteinuria are already present, potentially delaying the identification of a neurosurgical emergency.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Case presentation<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A 25-year-old first-time mother, 37\u202fweeks and 1\u202fday pregnant, presented with a month-long history of progressively worsening bilateral lower extremity edema and a two-day episode of intense occipital and bitemporal headache. Her blood pressure was elevated at 161\/120\u202fmmHg, accompanied by proteinuria (2+), hypoalbuminemia, hyperuricemia, and signs of potential fetal growth restriction, all meeting the criteria for severe preeclampsia. Despite treatment with antihypertensive medications and supportive care, the headache did not subside, prompting an emergency cesarean section. A healthy female infant was delivered, weighing 1960\u202fg, with Apgar scores of 9 at 1\u202fmin and 10 at 5\u202fmin. Post-surgery, the ongoing neurological concerns led to imaging studies. A CT scan and MRI of the brain revealed significant ventriculomegaly in the supratentorial region, with marked dilation of the lateral and third ventricles, while the fourth ventricle remained unaffected\u2014indicative of obstructive hydrocephalus. Her neurological exam was mostly unremarkable, except for a right-sided Babinski sign. A lumbar puncture showed clear cerebrospinal fluid with an opening pressure of 105\u202fmmH\u2082O. Neurosurgeons advised close monitoring, and a brief course of mannitol completely alleviated the headache by the fourth postoperative day. She was discharged on day six in good condition.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This case represents a rare instance where obstructive hydrocephalus was diagnosed at term, coexisting with severe preeclampsia, and initially mistaken for impending eclampsia without the usual signs of increased intracranial pressure. Any persistent or unusual headache, particularly when accompanied by focal neurological symptoms, should prompt immediate neuroimaging in pregnant women with hypertension to rule out secondary intracranial causes.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2026.1829568","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,24]],"date-time":"2026-04-24T05:42:22Z","timestamp":1777009342000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Obstructive hydrocephalus masquerading as impending eclampsia in a 37-week pregnant woman: a case report"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Jie","family":"Huang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Nursing, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine","place":["Lanzhou, China"]},{"name":"Nursing Department, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-care Hospital (Gansu Provincial Central Hospital)","place":["Lanzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jianhao","family":"Sun","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Nursing Department, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-care Hospital (Gansu Provincial Central Hospital)","place":["Lanzhou, China"]},{"name":"Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University","place":["Yangzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Liangsen","family":"Teng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical Medical College of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities","place":["Baise, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhenzhen","family":"Wu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Nursing Department, Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-care Hospital (Gansu Provincial Central Hospital)","place":["Lanzhou, 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