High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, occurs when blood moves through vessels at a higher pressure than normal. In pregnancy, high blood pressure is often called preeclampsia. Your blood pressure may go back to normal after your baby is born, but keeping your blood pressure at a normal level during pregnancy is important in order to keep your baby healthy.
Maintaining a healthy weight during your pregnancy can help lower your blood pressure. If you gain more weight than necessary, it can place additional stress on your body. Focus on gaining a healthy amount of weight by eating normal portions and focusing on consuming lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. The amount of weight that is healthy to gain during a pregnancy depends on the needs of your growing baby and the weight you were before getting pregnant, so talk to your doctor about a healthy weight range for you.
Symptoms of High Blood Pressure during Pregnancy
· Causes
· Risk factors
· Conditions
· Tracking blood pressure
· What to expect
· Complications
· Prevention
- High blood pressure, or hypertension, is defined as blood pressure higher than 140/90 mm Hg.
- If high blood pressure continues after 20 weeks of pregnancy, preeclampsia and other complications can develop.
- Some traditional blood pressure medications can cause problems in pregnant women. Talk to your doctor before taking any medication.
- Purchase a blood pressure monitor from a pharmacy or online medical goods store. Many of these devices will go on your wrist or upper arm. To ensure that the monitor is accurate, take it to your doctor’s office and compare the readings on the monitor to those from your doctor.
- Visit a grocery store, pharmacy, or other stores that have a machine that takes blood pressure readings.
- For the most accurate readings, take your blood pressure at the same time every day. Take it while seated with your legs uncrossed. Use the same arm each time.
- Notify your doctor immediately if you have repeated high blood pressure readings that are four hours apart or symptoms of high blood pressure.
- Maintaining a healthy weight. Being overweight can make you two to six times more likely to develop high blood pressure than if you are at your desirable weight. Even small amounts of weight loss can make a big difference in helping to prevent and treat high blood pressure.
- Getting regular exercise: People who are physically active have a lower risk of getting high blood pressure -- 20% to 50% lower -- than people who are not active. You don't have to be a marathon runner to benefit from physical activity. Even light activities, if done daily, can help lower your risk.
- Reducing salt intake: Often, when people with high blood pressure cut back on salt, their blood pressure falls. Cutting back on salt also prevents blood pressure from rising.
- Drinking alcohol in moderation, if at all: Drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure. To help prevent high blood pressure, limit how much alcohol you drink to no more than two drinks a day. for overall health, women should limit their alcohol to no more than one drink a day.
- Reduce stress: Stress can make blood pressure go up, and over time may contribute to the cause of high blood pressure. There are many steps you can take to reduce your stress. The article on easing stress will get you started.
- Potassium. Eating foods rich in potassium will help protect some people from developing high blood pressure. You probably can get enough potassium from your diet, so a supplement isn't necessary (and could be dangerous without a doctor's oversight). Many fruits, vegetables, dairy foods, and fish are good sources of potassium.
- Calcium. Populations with low calcium intakes have high rates of high blood pressure. However, it has not been proven that taking calcium tablets will prevent high blood pressure. But it is important to be sure to get at least the recommended amount of calcium -- 1,000 milligrams per day for adults 19 to 50 years old and 1,200 mg for those over 50 (pregnant and breastfeeding women also need more) -- from the foods you eat. Dairy foods like low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese are good sources of calcium. Low-fat and nonfat dairy products have even more calcium than the high-fat types.See what to eat during pregnancy & which calcium rich foods are better for pregnant women if they having some health conditions.
- Magnesium. A diet low in magnesium may make your blood pressure rise. But doctors don't recommend taking extra magnesium to help prevent high blood pressure -- the amount you get in a healthy diet is enough. Magnesium is found in whole grains, green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, and dry peas and beans.
- Fish oils. A type of fat called "omega-3 fatty acids" is found in fatty fish like mackerel and salmon. Large amounts of fish oils may help reduce high blood pressure, but their role in prevention is unclear. Taking fish oil pills is not routinely recommended, primarily because it is unclear whether supplements can make a difference; getting omega 3’s as part of a heart healthy diet is best. Most fish, if not fried or made with added fat, is low in saturated fat and calories and can be eaten often.
- Garlic. There has been some evidence to suggest garlic’s effect in lowering blood pressure, in addition to improving cholesterol and reducing some cancers. Further research is being conducted to fully assess garlic’s potential health benefits.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is defined as blood pressure higher than 140/90 mm Hg. The condition is a serious concern for some pregnant women.
High blood pressure during pregnancy isn’t always dangerous. But it can sometimes cause severe health complications for both mothers and develop a baby. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an increasing number of pregnant women in the United States have this condition.
What causes high blood pressure during pregnancy?
These include:
· being overweight or obese
· failing to stay active
· smoking
· drinking alcohol
· first-time pregnancy
· a family history of pregnancy-related hypertension
· carrying more than one child
· age (over 40)
Risk factors for high blood pressure during pregnancy
Unhealthy lifestyle choices may lead to high blood pressure during pregnancy. Being overweight or obese, or not staying active, are major risk factors for high blood pressure.
Women experiencing their first pregnancy are more likely to have high blood pressure. Fortunately, there’s a lower chance of this condition in subsequent pregnancies with the same partner.
Women carrying multiples are more likely to develop hypertension, as their body is under additional stress.
Women who had high blood pressure before pregnancy are at higher risk for related complications during pregnancy than those with normal blood pressure.
Types of pregnancy-related blood pressure conditions
· Chronic hypertension: Sometimes a woman has pre-existing high blood pressure or hypertension before she gets pregnant. This may be referred to as chronic hypertension and is usually treated with blood pressure medication. Doctors also consider hypertension that occurs in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy to be chronic hypertension.
· Gestational hypertension: Gestational hypertension develops after the 20th week of pregnancy. It usually resolves after delivery and the most common complication is induced labor. When diagnosed before 30 weeks, there’s a higher chance it will progress to preeclampsia.
· Chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia: Another variation of chronic hypertension is when a woman has hypertension before she becomes pregnant, then also experiences protein in her urine or additional complications as her pregnancy progresses.
Tracking blood pressure during pregnancy
A blood pressure reading is a fraction: your systolic blood pressure over your diastolic blood pressure.
· The top number is your systolic pressure, which is a measurement of the pressure in your heart’s arteries when the heart is beating or squeezing blood forward through your body.
· The diastolic or lower number is a measurement of the force of blood pressure in your heart when the heart is at rest.
What is considered normal blood pressure during pregnancy?
To determine what your “normal” blood pressure is during pregnancy, your doctor will likely take a baseline blood pressure measurement at your first visit. Then they will measure your blood pressure at every visit that follows.
Normal blood pressure is usually somewhere close to 120/80 mm Hg.
What is considered high blood pressure during pregnancy?
A blood pressure that is greater than 140/90 mm Hg, or that is 15 degrees higher on the top number from where you started out before pregnancy, may be cause for concern.
Early in pregnancy, usually from 5 weeks’ pregnant to the middle of the second trimester, a pregnant woman’s blood pressure may actually decrease. This is because pregnancy hormones can stimulate blood vessels to widen. As a result, the resistance to blood flow isn’t as high.
What is considered low blood pressure during pregnancy?
While there isn’t a definitive number that is too low, there are symptoms that are associated with low blood pressure:
· headache
· dizziness
· nausea
· feeling faint
· cold, clammy skin
Changes in blood pressure during pregnancy
As a woman progresses in her pregnancy, her blood pressure may change or return to pre-pregnancy levels. Reasons for this may include the following.
The amount of blood in a woman’s body increases. According to the journal Circulation, a woman’s blood volume increases by as much as 45 percent during pregnancy. This is an extra amount of blood that the heart must pump throughout the body.
The left ventricle (left side of the heart that does a significant amount of pumping) becomes thicker and larger. This temporary effect allows the heart to work harder to support the increased blood volume.
The kidneys release increased amounts of vasopressin, a hormone that leads to increased water retention.
In most cases, high blood pressure during pregnancy will subside almost immediately after the baby is delivered. In cases where blood pressure remains elevated, your doctor may prescribe medication to get it back to normal.
Tips for tracking blood pressure during pregnancy
There are many ways that you can track your blood pressure during pregnancy. Try out the following ideas:
What are the complications of high blood pressure during pregnancy?
If high blood pressure continues after 20 weeks of pregnancy, there can be complications. Preeclampsia can develop.
What is preeclampsia?
This condition can cause serious damage to your organs, including your brain and kidneys. Preeclampsia is also known as toxemia or pregnancy-induced hypertension. Preeclampsia with seizures becomes eclampsia. This can be fatal.
Thorough prenatal care, including regular doctor’s visits, should be able to address preeclampsia symptoms. Symptoms include:
· protein in a urine sample
· abnormal swelling in hands and feet
· persistent headaches
How Can I Prevent High Blood Pressure?
You can prevent high blood pressure by:
Other nutrients may also help prevent high blood pressure. Here's a roundup of the research:
Preventing high blood pressure during pregnancy
Common risk factors for high blood pressure, such as obesity and a history of high blood pressure, can be minimized through diet and exercise. Of course, during pregnancy, it is inevitable that you will gain some weight. It’s recommended that pregnant women consult with their doctor to identify a weight gain target that is healthy for them.
Dietary guidelines for pregnant women vary from person to person. Speak with a nutritionist who will keep your specific height and weight in mind when creating a nutrition plan for you.
Pregnancy causes hormone shifts, as well as psychological and physical changes. This can bring on stress, which can make high blood pressure harder to manage. Try stress reduction techniques such as yoga and meditation.
