High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy: Symptoms And Treatment

High blood pressure during pregnancy means that the blood pressure exceeds 140/90 mmHg.

But do you even know what blood pressure really means?

Blood pressure is the force exerted by the blood on the walls of the arteries. High blood pressure is due to the force being too high for some reason.

If you think you may have high blood pressure, see a doctor. This disease needs to be monitored as it can affect your and your baby’s health. Do not ignore the symptoms and see a doctor immediately.

High blood pressure during pregnancy

Controlling blood pressure during pregnancy is the best way to prevent other harmful or serious illnesses from birth.

In general, in women who do not usually suffer from high blood pressure, blood pressure rises in the middle or late stages of pregnancy, usually after the 20th week of pregnancy. In fact, it is quite common for a pregnant woman to have low blood pressure during the first months of pregnancy.

Depending on the symptoms, we can distinguish  three different types of high blood pressure during pregnancy:

1. High blood pressure during pregnancy

High blood pressure during pregnancy is high blood pressure that usually develops during pregnancy after the 20th week of pregnancy. It is usually asymptomatic and tends to disappear after childbirth. However, it may:

• Increase your suffering from high blood pressure in the future.
• Trigger preterm labor.
• Causes low birth weight.
• Leads to the development of gestational poisoning.

2. Chronic high blood pressure

This happens when a woman  has suffered from high blood pressure before pregnancy  or before the 20th week of pregnancy.

This disease can also trigger gestational poisoning, as the condition mentioned earlier.

3. Pregnancy poisoning

Pregnancy poisoning is a sudden rise in blood pressure that usually appears in late pregnancy in the  last trimester. This disease can cause damage to the liver, kidneys and other organs.

In addition, it can endanger the life of the mother and baby. For this reason, it is extremely important to keep an eye on your blood pressure during pregnancy.

Symptoms of high blood pressure during pregnancy

If you suffer from swelling of the hands or feet, blurred vision and nausea, see a doctor.

High blood pressure during pregnancy is not always symptomatic. However, if it is symptomatic, it usually causes headaches, especially in the occiput, as well as blurred vision, photosensitivity, swelling of the limbs, and severe abdominal pain.

As you can see, this condition can be quite dangerous for both mother and baby. Therefore, managing high blood pressure is an important part of pregnancy. Your doctor or nurse will check your blood pressure at each follow-up visit.

Here are some symptoms of gestational poisoning:

• Excessive protein in the urine.
• Severe headache.
• Changes in vision, blurred vision or even vision loss.
• Shortness of breath.
• Low platelet count.
• Sudden weight gain.
• Upper abdominal pain, usually on the right side.

If you suffer from any of these symptoms, your doctor or nurse will do some tests for you to determine if you have gestational poisoning or not, and will act accordingly to protect you and your baby.

Treatment of high blood pressure

Your doctor will decide if you should take medication to control your high blood pressure.

The treatment of high blood pressure during pregnancy depends on the woman’s condition and medical history, as well as the progression of the pregnancy in general. The doctor decides what to do based on what his or her personal assessment of the situation is.

He or she may prescribe antihypertensive medications that are safe for you and your baby. Take your medicine as directed by your doctor. Do not stop taking or change your medicine.

Your doctor may also recommend that you  drink enough fluids (about 12 glasses or 3 liters a day),  eat a balanced diet so that you do not consume too much salt or processed foods such as sweets, sausages and fried foods, and rest adequately.

More serious cases may require a hospital visit to prevent possible gestational poisoning.

To prevent high blood pressure during pregnancy, we recommend that you exercise regularly (such as walking, yoga during pregnancy or water aerobics),  drink enough water, avoid coffee and caffeinated beverages, and minimize salt intake.

If you have any questions about this,  talk to your doctor during your next visit. He will be able to answer your questions better than anyone else as he compares the information to your personal medical history and physical condition.