High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy

Many women with high blood pressure in pregnancy have healthy babies without any serious problems, but high blood pressure in pregnancy can prove dangerous for both mother and baby.  Blood pressure can change quite dramatically during the course of twenty-four hours – it is generally lower when you are asleep or relaxing, but will rise when standing, taking exercise or if you are under stress or experiencing anxiety. 

Severely high blood pressure could harm your kidneys or other organs and it could mean that the baby would not go the full term and would be born under weight.

If you have seriously high blood pressure in pregnancy you could develop preeclampsia, which would normally occur after the twentieth week of pregnancy and  could threaten your life and that of the baby’s.  However if you did develop preeclampsia then your medical practitioner would monitor you closely to lessen or even avoid related problems.

During pregnancy your medical practitioner should check your blood pressure regularly and check the level of protein in your urine.  Preeclampsia and high blood pressure in pregnancy is more likely to occur if you have had very high blood pressure before pregnancy, if there is a history of high blood pressure in the family or if you are obese.  It is also more likely to occur if you are very young or middle-aged when you become pregnant or if you are carrying more than one baby. 

Some illnesses such as lupus, diabetes, kidney problems or even rheumatoid arthritis could be another contributory factor.

Before becoming pregnant it is wise to make sure your blood pressure is under control and that you are not already a victim of high blood pressure.  If you are overweight then try a high blood pressure diet and take plenty of exercise.  To try and avoid having high blood pressure everyone should have a healthy lifestyle whether they want to become pregnant or not.

During pregnancy make sure you obtain regular prenatal care and avoid smoking or drinking alcohol.  Always talk to your medical practitioner before taking any over-the-counter medications.