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Does Pregnancy Cause High Blood Pressure

What Are The Signs & Symptoms Of High Blood Pressure

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) During Pregnancy With Dr. Sean Daneshmand | San Diego Health

Most of the time high blood pressure doesnt cause symptoms. In rare cases, severe high blood pressure can cause headaches, blurry vision, dizziness, nosebleeds, a fluttering or racing heartbeat, and nausea.

If your child has high blood pressure and gets any of these symptoms, get medical care right away.

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Pregnancy And Heart Health

In general, pregnancy puts stress on a womans heart and circulatory system, the Mayo Clinic reports.

Because blood volume goes up 30 to 50 percent to support the baby, a pregnant womans heart pumps more blood per minute and her heart rates increase.

Women who develop early-onset preeclampsia are more likely to have thickening in their hearts left ventricle one month after delivery and therefore are at the greatest risk for developing heart disease, according to American Heart Association research presented last year.

What Is High Blood Pressure In Pregnancy

High blood pressure in pregnancy is defined as a systolic blood pressure of 140 mmHg or more, OR a diastolic blood pressure of 90 mmHg or more on 2 or more occasions, which are not associated with proteinuria.

High blood pressure is also referred to as gestational hypertension when it occurs in early pregnancy.

Preeclampsiais a disease that causes high blood pressure in the brain and heart during pregnancy. If left untreated, it can cause a number of problems including kidney failure, cognitive delays, hearing loss, andmuscle damage.

Although most cases of high blood pressure are due to the stress of the pregnant condition, some are caused by renal disease, hormonal abnormalities, endocrine diseases, or medications that may be taken by the mother or baby.

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High Blood Pressure In Early Pregnancy

High blood pressure that occurs in early pregnancy is usually considered chronic hypertension. Often, women who develop high blood pressure before the 20th week of pregnancy most likely had hypertension prior to pregnancy and didnt know.

Blood pressure levels sometimes decline during the first half of pregnancy, so doctors may closely monitor you at first. If levels dont fall or they become higher, your doctor may prescribe a blood pressure medication that is safe for pregnant women.

What Is The Treatment For High Blood Pressure In Pregnancy

Preeclampsia &  Eclampsia Nursing Maternity Review

If your doctor or midwife finds that your blood pressure is high during your pregnancy, they will usually check to see if you have any protein in your urine and ask you if you have any symptoms of pre-eclampsia. If your blood pressure remains high, or if you have any signs of pre-eclampsia, you will usually be seen by a specialist . In order to advise on treatment, there are various questions that need to be considered by the specialist, such as:

  • How severe is your high blood pressure ?
  • Is there pre-eclampsia and, if so, how severe is it?
  • How far on is your pregnancy?
  • What are the risks to you, the mother, and your baby? This will depend on the severity of your high blood pressure and whether or not pre-eclampsia is present.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Preeclampsia

Possible symptoms of preeclampsia include:

  • High blood pressure
  • Too much protein in your urine
  • Swelling in your face and hands. Your feet may also swell, but many women have swollen feet during pregnancy. So swollen feet by themselves may not be a sign of a problem.
  • Headache that does not go away
  • Vision problems, including blurred vision or seeing spots
  • Pain in your upper right abdomen
  • Trouble breathing

Eclampsia can also cause seizures, nausea and/or vomiting, and low urine output. If you go on to develop HELLP syndrome, you may also have bleeding or bruising easily, extreme fatigue, and liver failure.

Will I Have High Blood Pressure After Pregnancy

Unless you have preexisting or chronic hypertension, your blood pressure will most likely return to a normal level within a few weeks after you have your baby.

After you give birth, your blood pressure will be closely monitored, and your caregiver will be watching you for signs of worsening hypertension and preeclampsia.

In some women, though, blood pressure remains elevated. If your blood pressure is still high three months after you give birth, you’ll be diagnosed with chronic hypertension.

Learn more:

BabyCenter’s editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you’re seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies.

ACOG 2022. Preeclampsia and high blood pressure during pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

ACOG. 20201Managing high blood pressure. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

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What Problems Can High Blood Pressure In Pregnancy Cause

Hypertension in pregnancy can cause serious health problems for both the pregnant person and the fetus. But working closely with your doctor or nurse during pregnancy can help you stay safe and healthy.

Complications for the pregnant person may include heart, kidney, and liver problems, stroke, blood clotting problems, and seizures. High blood pressure can also lead to an emergency medical issue called placental abruption, when the placenta comes off the wall of your uterus too early. People with high blood pressure in pregnancy are more likely to have a cesarean section and deliver their baby early.

High blood pressure in pregnancy can also cause problems for your baby. High blood pressure can decrease blood flow to the placenta, the part that brings oxygen and food to your fetus. This can lead to things like low birth weight , or delivering your baby too early .

What Are The Symptoms

Study finds increased cases of high blood pressure during pregnancy

High blood pressure usually doesn’t cause symptoms. You will probably feel fine, even if your blood pressure is too high.

Tell your doctor right away if you have any signs of very high blood pressure or preeclampsia, such as:

  • A severe headache.
  • Pain in your upper belly.
  • Rapid weight gainmore than 2 lb in a week or 6 lb in a month.

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Low Blood Pressure Complications

While many women who have low blood pressure prior and during pregnancy do not have any related issues, there are some complications to be aware of.

Some symptoms of low blood pressure include:

  • Rapid or shallow breathing

One of the most concerning complications is dizziness because it can lead to fainting, falling, and injury, secondary to the fall. Additionally, research has shown a link between low blood pressure and increased symptoms of morning sickness.

What Are The Risk Factors

Many factors raise your risk of high blood pressure. Some risk factors, such as unhealthy lifestyle habits, can be changed. Other risk factors, such as age, family history and genetics, race and ethnicity, and sex, cannot be changed. A healthy lifestyle can lower your risk for developing high blood pressure.

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What Pregnancy Complications Can High Blood Pressure Cause

Unfortunately, hypertension in pregnancy causes several serious complications. High blood pressure during pregnancy can affect the amount of oxygen and nutrients the baby receives, which can affect how the baby grows, says Cindy M. Duke, MD, an OB-GYN and a clinical assistant professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Medicine. Additionally, it stresses maternal blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart disease or stroke in mothers. Gestational hypertension can cause

If Youre At High Risk For Preeclampsia Your Provider May Want You To Take Low

Preeclampsia and Eclampsia

What is high blood pressure?

Blood pressure is the force of blood that pushes against the walls of your arteries. Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood away from your heart to other parts of the body. Each time your heart beats, it pumps blood to the arteries. If the pressure in your arteries becomes too high, you have high blood pressure . High blood pressure can put extra stress on your organs. This can lead to heart attack, heart failure, stroke and kidney failure.

Some women have high blood pressure before they get pregnant. Others have high blood pressure for the first time during pregnancy. About 8 in 100 women have some kind of high blood pressure during pregnancy. If you have high blood pressure, talk to your health care provider. Managing your blood pressure can help you have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.

How do you know if you have high blood pressure?

Your blood pressure reading is given as two numbers:

  • Systolic blood pressure. This is the upper number in your reading. Its the pressure when you heart contracts . Your blood pressure is highest when your heart beats and pumps blood.
  • Diastolic blood pressure. This is the lower number in your reading. Its the pressure when your heart relaxes. Your blood pressure falls because your heart is at rest between beats.
  • Your blood pressure reading fits into one of five categories:

  • Normal. Your blood pressure is less than 120/80.
  • What pregnancy complications can high blood pressure cause?

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    Preventing Hbp In Pregnancy

    Preventing high blood pressure before pregnancy will help lower the risk of high blood pressure when you do become pregnant. In fact, the healthier you are before becoming pregnant, the healthier and easier your pregnancy will be. Healthy habits to form before pregnancy include:

    Other medical conditions, like diabetes, can also increase your risk of high blood pressure. Healthy lifestyle practices and regular check-ups can lower this risk, but probably not forever.

    Whether you have high blood pressure before you get pregnant or you develop it while pregnant, one thing is for sure: regular checkups throughout your pregnancy will keep you and your unborn baby healthy.

    Eclampsia And Hellp Syndrome

    Pregnancy-induced high blood pressure and preeclampsia can lead to serious and life-threatening conditions like eclampsia and HELLP syndrome.

    • Eclampsia: This is when blood pressure in pregnancy rises so high that it causes seizures or coma in the mother. Sixty percent of eclampsia comes on during pregnancy, 20% during delivery, and 20% after delivery.

    • HELLP syndrome: This acronym stands for hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count. In this condition, your body destroys its own red blood cells, liver cells are damaged, and you may bleed too easily. Seventy percent of cases happen during pregnancy and 30% after delivery.

    The terms preeclampsia and eclampsia sound like you need to have preeclampsia before getting eclampsia. But thats not always true. Some women with eclampsia dont have any symptoms of high blood pressure or preeclampsia before they start experiencing seizures. The same thing goes for HELLP syndrome. It can appear without warning.

    Luckily, these conditions are rare. Eclampsia happens in less than 0.1% of pregnancies in the United States, while HELLP happens in 0.1-0.2 % of all pregnancies. Rates are higher for black and some latino women, as well as women who have pregnancy-induced high blood pressure and preeclampsia.

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    What Is High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy

    A small percentage of pregnant women in the U.S. have high blood pressure at some point during their pregnancy. Some cases are mild other cases are severe. Treatment varies depending on the type you have and how far along you are in your pregnancy.

    There are three main types of high blood pressure during pregnancy:

    In some cases, high blood pressure during pregnancy can cause harm to you and your baby.

    • You may develop gestational diabetes.
    • You may experience problems with your heart or kidneys. Youre also at greater risk for a stroke.
    • High blood pressure may prevent the placenta from getting enough blood. If the placenta doesnt get enough blood, your baby doesnt get enough oxygen and food. This can cause low birth weight and premature birth.
    • High blood pressure can lead to placental abruption. This is when the placenta becomes unattached to the uterus. This can be a life threatening situation to both you and your baby.

    Is High Blood Pressure In Pregnancy Dangerous

    High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy – Dr. Harsha Reddy | Cloudnine Hospitals

    Theres no concrete evidence that high blood pressure in pregnancy is dangerous, but its a generally accepted belief that overweight or obesity puts you at risk. And its not just related to weight.

    Studies have shown that overweight babies are more likely to develop problems with the circulatory system at birth, and overweight adults are more likely to die from cardiovascular diseases during the course of their lives. That said, having a low-risk lifestyle doesnt mean youll never experience health issues

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    Complications Of Hypertension During Pregnancy

    Preeclampsia, eclampsia, stroke all are the result of hypertension in pregnant mothers. If the baby is weak, the mother may need to deliver early. There may be a need for labor induction which means giving medicine to induce labor. And in some cases, a cesarean section may be needed as well.Women may face problems after delivery also.

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    What Is Pregnancy

    The body goes through many changes during pregnancy. There are changes to the heart, blood vessels, and the amount of blood in the body doubles. Because of these changes, blood pressure often increases in early pregnancy and then drops in later stages of pregnancy.

    Sustained high blood pressure in pregnancy, whether it starts before or during the pregnancy, is a serious problem that can affect both your health and the health of your unborn baby. Well discuss what it means to have high blood pressure in pregnancy, pregnancy-induced high blood pressure, the symptoms you may feel, and how it can be diagnosed, treated, or even prevented.

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    Who Is At Risk

    About 3 to 4 in every 100 pregnant women in Australia and New Zealand develop pre-eclampsia. The exact causes are not known but you may be at higher risk of developing pre-eclampsia if you:

    • have chronic hypertension
    • have a chronic condition such as diabetes, an autoimmune disease or a kidney disorder
    • have had pre-eclampsia before
    • are aged 40 years or more or aged under 18 years
    • are expecting twins or triplets
    • have a family history of pre-eclampsia
    • are very overweight at the beginning of your pregnancy
    • have had a gap of 10 years or more since your last pregnancy
    • conceived with in vitro fertilisation
    • have an autoimmune disorder such as rheumatoid arthritis

    If you have any of these risk factors, it is very important to attend regular check-ups to have your blood pressure and urine tested.

    Secondary High Blood Pressure

    Gestational Hypertension (pregnancy induced hypertension)

    Some cases of high blood pressure are the result of underlying factors or cause and this is known as secondary high blood pressure.

    Underlying factors include:

    • hormonal conditions, such as Cushings syndrome
    • conditions that affect the bodys tissue, such as lupus
    • medication, such as the oral contraceptive pill, or the type of painkillers that are known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , such as ibuprofen
    • recreational drugs, such as cocaine, amphetamines and crystal meth

    Occasionally, a rise in blood pressure can result from taking herbal remedies, such as herbal supplements.

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    Who Is At Risk For Preeclampsia

    You are at higher risk of preeclampsia if you:

    • Had chronic high blood pressure or chronic kidney disease before pregnancy
    • Had high blood pressure or preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy
    • Damage to your kidneys, liver, brain, and other organ and blood systems
    • A higher risk of heart disease for you
    • Eclampsia, which happens when preeclampsia is severe enough to affect brain function, causing seizures or coma
    • HELLP syndrome, which happens when a woman with preeclampsia or eclampsia has damage to the liver and blood cells. It is rare, but very serious.

    Can High Blood Pressure Affect My Baby

    High blood pressure in pregnancy can prevent blood from flowing to the placenta. Because the baby doesnt get enough nutrients or oxygen, untreated high blood pressure can put them at higher risk of complications such as:

    • being low birth weight
    • preterm labour and/or premature birth
    • placental abruption

    For this reason, its very important that high blood pressure is picked up early and treated.

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    Maintain A Healthy Weight

    Being overweight is a risk factor for having high blood pressure, and your risk increases further if you are obese.

    There are two ways to check if you are overweight:

    • Body Mass Index This is your weight in kilograms divided by your height in metres squared. In the UK, people with a BMI of between 25 to 30 are overweight, and those with an index above 30 are classed as obese. People with a BMI of 40 or more are morbidly obese.
    • Waist size Using a measuring tape place the tape round your waist between the bottom of your ribs and the top of your hip bone. The table below indicates how much your health might be at risk, your ethnicity should also be taken into account.
    Sex
    Over 80 cm

    The best way to tackle obesity is by reducing the amount of calories that you eat, and taking regular exercise. Your GP can provide you with further information and advice on how you can do this.

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