How To Reduce Blood Pressure In Pregnancy

Why Is High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy A Problem

High blood pressure during pregnancy can do different things to you and your baby:

Chronic hypertension: High blood pressure can make your baby grow too slowly. This can hurt your baby’s health. Women with chronic hypertension are also more likely to get preeclampsia, which can be very dangerous.

Preeclampsia: High blood pressure is not the main problem, but it is one of the main signs of this health condition. Preeclampsia can cause problems with your brain , your eyes , your liver and your blood and other organs. It can make your baby grow slowly. If you get eclampsia and seizures, your baby is at risk of dying.

Transient hypertension: This condition does not cause any problems for you or your baby.

Will I Still Have High Blood Pressure After The Baby Is Delivered

High blood pressure during pregnancy typically goes away after the baby is delivered but increases the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease in the future. Women who had chronic hypertension before pregnancy will usually still have the condition after delivery. Sometimes, blood pressure can remain high after delivery, requiring treatment with medication. Your healthcare provider will work with you after your pregnancy to manage your blood pressure.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 01/21/2019.

References

Here Are 7 Natural Ways You Can Lower Your Blood Pressure During Pregnancy

1. Ditch the salt. Although your body requires sodium in small amounts, consuming too much sodium can lead to hypertension. So try to substitute salt for other spices, like cumin fresh herbs and lemon pepper. You can also rinse canned food to rid them of any extra sodium, and try your best to avoid processed foods and fast foods. If you buy processed foods, try to choose low-sodium options.

2. Eat a healthy more whole grains and potassium-rich foods. Go bananas on, well, bananas, but not just. Sweet potatoes, prunes, raisins, kidney beans, tomatoes and more are all high on potassium and can thus help you lower your blood pressure. Studies have shown that whole grains, which are rich in dietary fibers, can also help reduce hypertension. So fuel up on legumes, vegetables, protein and whole grains. For example, for breakfast you could have a mixed veggie omelet paired with whole grain toast and a side of fruit.

3. Destress. Whether you are pregnant or not, being stressed can actually cause your blood pressure to hike. So try eliminating the things that trigger anxiety, and do what you can to promote relaxation whether its meditation, yoga or breathing techniques. All these can eventually help you manage labor pain, so its good practice for the big day, too.

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Calcium Supplementation For Preventing Hypertensive Disorders

A review of calcium supplementation during pregnancy for preventing hypertensive disorders concluded that calcium supplementation appears to approximately halve the risk of preeclampsia, reduce the risk of preterm birth, and the rare occurrence of the composite outcome: death or serious morbidity . Of note, most of the women in these trials had a low calcium diet and were supplemented with at least 1 g of calcium daily. However, the evidence for added calcium in the prevention of hypertensive disorders is conflicting .

Will My Pregnancy Be Classified As High

One indicator of a high-risk pregnancy includes certain chronic medical problems, such as high blood pressure. Therefore, since you already have hypertension and have become pregnant, your pregnancy is automatically classified as high risk.

High-risk pregnancies typically need expert advice and the care of a healthcare specialist. You will most likely see a perinatologist- an obstetrician who specializes in the care of high-risk pregnancies. Perinatologists give expert care to women who have pre-existing medical conditions, as well as women who develop complications during pregnancy.

In addition, you may be referred to a perinatal care center, before delivery, to lessen the likelihood your baby may become ill. Usually, these centers work together with obstetricians and a newborn intensive care unit to provide the best care for you and your baby.

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Can A Woman With High Blood Pressure Get Toxemia

Women who have previously had pregnancy-induced hypertension are more likely to develop toxemia. It is always difficult for an expectant mother to find that the presence of toxicosis is making her pregnancy more difficult. However, constant worry and heightened anxiety can only make the situation worse.

How Is High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy Treated

High blood pressure during pregnancy can be treated in a variety of ways depending on the severity, cause and time of onset. Mothers with all forms of hypertension will need to be monitored closely. This could include more prenatal visits, ultrasounds, and other tests to ensure the babys well-being .

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What Is Considered High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy

A blood pressure that is greater than 130/90 mm Hg or that is 15 degrees higher on the top number from where you started before pregnancy may be cause for concern.

High blood pressure during pregnancy is defined as 140 mm Hg or higher systolic, with diastolic 90 mm Hg or higher.

Early in pregnancy, usually from 5 weeks to the middle of the second trimester, a pregnant womans blood pressure may actually decrease. This is because pregnancy hormones can stimulate blood vessels to widen. As a result, the resistance to blood flow isnt as high.

Different Types Of Blood Pressure In Pregnancy

Women can suffer from various types of high blood pressure in pregnancy, some of them being:

• Preeclampsia: A complication in pregnancy that is characterized with very high blood pressure. This can also damage other organs in your body.
• Chronic hypertension: Present before conception or during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy.
• Chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia: This condition occurs in pregnant women who are already suffering from chronic blood pressure.
• Gestational hypertension: This is a condition that develops after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

High blood pressure in pregnancy adds stress to the kidneys and heart which in turn increases risks of heart diseases, and kidney disorders. Additionally, it can also cause complication to the fetus such as preterm delivery, placental abruption, and fetal growth restriction.

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How Do We Treat It

ACOG guidelines for preeclampsia recommend IV medication treatment that begins within 30 to 60 minutes of confirmed severe, acute hypertension. The goal is to lower the patients blood pressure to between 140/90 and 150/100 to prevent prolonged exposure to severely high blood pressure.

During this time, the care team will frequently check your blood pressure and monitor the baby for signs of distress, such as changes in fetal activity or heart rate. The only way to cure preeclampsia is to deliver the baby often, patients with preeclampsia must deliver early to prevent the mother from having a potentially deadly stroke or seizure.

Emergencypostpartum hypertension may also be treated with IV therapy or oral medication. In some cases, the doctor may recommend magnesium therapy to prevent preeclampsia-induced seizures. Patients who go to their local doctors office with very high postpartum blood pressure should be transferred to a hospital for treatment and monitoring.

Chronic hypertension, while not usually an emergency, is a long-term health risk that must be controlled. Most patients can achieve a healthy blood pressure through a combination of medication, exercise, and diet changes. Increasing exercise and reducing sodium are two key factors in getting blood pressure to a healthier level.

No Medications Needed Just A Couple Of Lifestyle Changes

You may think of high blood pressure as a problem youll have to deal with when you are older, but it turns out, many pregnant women deal with it too. Hypertension affects up to 8 percent of expecting women and can lead to complicationsfrom preeclampsia to low birth weight to higher risk of placenta abruption to kidney problems. So if you were diagnosed with gestational hypertension or are at risk of developing it during pregnancy, you should find a way to keep your blood pressure under control and since a lot of medications are big no-nos during pregnancy, the key to doing so is making a few lifestyle changes.

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Can High Blood Pressure Affect The Baby

High blood pressure in pregnancy can prevent blood from flowing to the placenta. Because the baby doesnt get enough nutrients or oxygen, they are at higher risk of being low birth weight or being born prematurely.

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

Complications Of Hypertension For The Mother

If hypertension is severe or uncontrolled, it can cause complications for the mother and baby.

High blood pressure during pregnancy puts women at an increased risk of more serious health conditions later in life. One revealed that gestational hypertension was associated with a higher risk of ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction , heart failure, and ischemic stroke.

Poorly controlled high blood pressure puts a woman at risk of developing preeclampsia and gestational diabetes.

One complication of hypertension is HELLP syndrome. This is a rare life-threatening liver and blood disorder. Doctors consider it to be a severe variant of preeclampsia. HELLP stands for:

• Hemolysis, or the breaking down of red blood cells
• Elevated Liver enzymes, which is a sign of liver damage
• Low Platelet count platelets are a material that forms blood clots

Other complications associated with high blood pressure during pregnancy include:

• stroke
• placental abruption, a serious medical condition in which the placenta separates from the wall of the uterus too early
• preterm delivery, or giving birth before the due date, which healthcare providers may advise if the placenta is not providing a enough nutrients and oxygen to the baby or if the mothers life is in danger

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Start Taking Antihypertensive Medication Or Adjust The Previous Ones

Take the patient to the doctor as soon as possible and get their medication adjusted if they were already taking the medicine. If they were never taking it, get it started. The doctor will explain you regarding any prerequisites or tests required for your patient. Its important not only to control blood pressure before any surgery but also during routine life too, as abnormal blood pressure and hypertension can lead to many complications, including death.

Doctor may ask you to get bp charting done for a week at least too before starting the medicine. Simply follow whatever the cardiologist suggests.

Remember, not to wait for the home remedies to lower blood pressure to kick in and lower it for you. Get the medicine and get the blood pressure in control as soon as possible and then start shifting to blood pressure lowering remedies and the natural ways to lower blood pressure if you want to, while keeping the blood pressure in control.

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How To Lower Blood Pressure Naturally

The term lifestyle changes implies you will need to change your habits to bring your blood pressure down. Broadly speaking, these modifications are natural non-pharmaceutical ways of lowering blood pressure. Six methods have been proven effective in clinical studies, and two others are recommended:

Gestational High Blood Pressure

Some women can develop new high blood pressure during their pregnancy. This is called gestational high blood pressure or pregnancy-induced high blood pressure .

Gestational high blood pressure is high blood pressure that develops for the first time after the 20th week of pregnancy. Doctors can confirm this type of high blood pressure if you do not go on to develop pre-eclampsia during your pregnancy and if your blood pressure has returned to normal within six weeks of giving birth. If you have gestational high blood pressure, you do not have protein in your urine when it is tested by your midwife or doctor during your pregnancy.

Note: some women may be found to have new high blood pressure after 20 weeks of pregnancy. At first, they may not have any protein in their urine on testing. However, they may later develop protein in their urine and so be diagnosed with pre-eclampsia . You are only said to have gestational hypertension if you do not go on to develop pre-eclampsia during your pregnancy.

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Tracking Your Blood Pressure During Pregnancy

In addition to keeping all of your prenatal care appointments so your doctor can track your blood pressure readings, you might want to turn to home blood pressure technology, which has become quite good and should be considered fairly reliable.

In fact, for women with high blood pressure concerns, a home monitor is a nice way of taking ownership of ones care and being an active participant. Ask your physician which device shed recommend and then get a quick lesson on how to use it at home.

Can I Prevent Preeclampsia

You cant currently prevent preeclampsia, but researchers are trying to determine if its possible. One study shows that eating food bars containing the amino acid L-arginine and antioxidant vitamins lowered the risk of preeclampsia in high-risk women. Another study shows that overweight or obese women who gained fewer than 15 pounds during pregnancy had a lower risk for preeclampsia. Be sure to discuss this with your doctor before making any changes.

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What Are Symptoms Of Toxemia In Third Trimester

Toxemia during pregnancy is characterized by fluid retention, high blood pressure, proteinuria and edema, usually reaching preeclamptic levels in the third trimester of pregnancy. The fundus changes correspond to accelerated hypertension without compensatory atherosclerosis. The manifestations are cotton spots and superficial bleeding.

Try Controlled Breathing :

Deep breathing is a popular relaxation technique that helps lower your stress levels and stabilize your blood pressure.

Moreover, every time you take in a deep breath, the well-oxygenated blood gets delivered to each and every cell in the body. This in turn provides energy and makes you feel good overall.

• Lie down comfortably on your back.
• Place your hands on your chest and below the rib cage.
• Slowly inhale through your nose so that you feel your stomach move up.
• Slowly exhale through your mouth by counting to 5, while keeping the abdominal muscles tight.
• Repeat 10 times and keep your breathing regular and slow.
• Practice deep breathing for 10 minutes, 2 or 3 times a day, to manage your blood pressure and keep your heart healthy.

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Classification Of Hypertension In Pregnancy And Treatment Guidelines

According to NHBPEP and The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists practice bulletins, hypertension in pregnancy is classified as chronic hypertension, preeclampsia-eclampsia, preeclampsia superimposed upon chronic hypertension and gestational hypertension . Chronic hypertension is defined as BP 140/90mm Hg before pregnancy or < 20th week of gestation or use of antihypertensive medication before pregnancy. Preeclampsia-eclampsia is a pregnancy-specific disorder that occurs after 20 weeks gestation. Eclampsia is the convulsive form of preeclampsia and affects 0.1% of all pregnancies. Preeclampsia can also occur superimposed upon chronic hypertension. Gestational hypertension is defined as new onset BP 140 mmHg systolic or 90 mmHg diastolic on at least two occasions, at least 6 h apart, after 20 weeks gestation, in the absence of proteinuria. This category encompasses women with preeclampsia who have not yet developed proteinuria, those with transient hypertension, if BP returns to normal by 12 weeks postpartum, and women with chronic hypertension, if BP elevation persists after 12 weeks.

The NHBPEP guidelines state that in pregnancy normal or acceptable blood pressure is SBP140 and DBP90 mmHg, mild hypertension SBP 140 to 150 or DBP 90 to 109 mmHg and severe hypertension 160 systolic or 110 diastolic mmHg.

Keeping Our Hearts Healthy

Breathing briefly stops multiple times

Widely considered safe

If you have elevated blood pressure , exercise can help you avoid developing hypertension. If you already have hypertension, regular physical activity can bring your blood pressure down to safer levels. Some examples of aerobic exercise you may try to lower blood pressure include walking , jogging, cycling, swimming or dancing.

If youre overweight, losing as little as 10 pounds can lower your blood pressure. It will also help with sleep apnea when your breathing briefly stops multiple times while you sleep. (It can

High blood pressure or hypertension is a common problem that most women experience when pregnant. Medical treatment isnt the only solution as there are some foods that can naturally lower blood pressure during pregnancy. This HerHaleness article gives you a brief information on such foods.

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Pregnancy is unique for every person, Breathwork doesnt require as much willpower as changing your diet, so its a great

Types of Pregnancy Hypertension

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