High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy: Symptoms And Treatments
Blood pressure is monitored at each prenatal visit to prevent related problems. Discover in this article what are the symptoms and possible treatments of gestational hypertension.
High blood pressure during pregnancy is diagnosed when the values exceed 140/90 mmHg. Now, do you know what it is? Blood pressure is the force exerted by blood against the walls of the arteries. When this force for some reason is too high, it is called hypertension.
If you suspect that you may be suffering from high blood pressure, visit your doctor. This condition must be controlled because it could involve risks to your health and that of your baby. Do not miss the symptoms and consult the doctor.
High blood pressure during pregnancy
Generally, the appearance of high blood pressure during pregnancy in women who do not suffer from this condition occurs towards the middle or end of gestation. The most common is usually after 20 weeks. In fact, it is quite common for pregnant women to have low blood pressure during the first months.
According to its characteristics, we can distinguish three classes of high blood pressure during pregnancy.
1. Gestational hypertension
High blood pressure is not pre-existing but develops during pregnancy, generally after the 20th week of gestation. It usually has no symptoms and tends to disappear after delivery. However, it involves risks:
- Cause low birth weight.
- Trigger preterm labor.
- Generate the development of preeclampsia.
- Increase the risk of developing hypertension in the future.
2. Chronic hypertension
This is the name given to the high blood pressure that a woman carries since before pregnancy or that begins before week 20. This condition, like the one previously described, can also trigger pre-eclampsia.
3. Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is a sudden increase in blood pressure that usually occurs towards the end of pregnancy, in the last trimester. This condition can cause damage to the liver, kidney, and other organs.
In addition, it can put the life of the mother and the baby at risk. For this reason, it is extremely important to control blood pressure and prevent its rise.
Symptoms of hypertension in pregnancy
High blood pressure during pregnancy does not always cause symptoms. When there are, they are generally headaches, mainly in the neck, blurred vision and sensitivity to light, swelling in the extremities of the body and severe pain in the abdomen, as a result of increased pressure.
As we have already seen, increased pressure can be dangerous for the life of the mother and the baby. For this reason, blood pressure control is an important part of prenatal care. You will see that in each visit to the doctor they will do it.
Regarding the symptoms of preeclampsia, we highlight:
- Shortness of breath.
- Nausea or vomiting
- Sudden weight gain
- Very severe headaches.
- Low levels of platelets in the blood.
- Presence of excess protein in the urine.
- Presence of edema, mainly on the face and hands.
- Vision changes: blurred vision or even loss of vision.
- Pain in the upper abdomen, below the ribs and on the right side.
In case of presenting these symptoms, doctors will carry out a series of studies to determine the presence or not of pre-eclampsia and act accordingly to protect you and your baby.
High blood pressure treatments
Treatment of high blood pressure during pregnancy depends on the condition of the woman and her medical history, as well as the general condition of the pregnancy. It will be the doctor who determines the way forward according to the personalized assessment of the situation.
The specialist can prescribe blood pressure medications that are safe and compatible with pregnancy. Take the medication as directed by your doctor, do not stop taking it or change the doses.
On the other hand, the doctor may recommend drinking plenty of fluids (around 3 liters a day) and maintaining a balanced diet with low consumption of salt and industrialized foods, such as sweets, cold cuts and fried foods, in addition to resting.
More severe cases of blood pressure may require hospitalization to monitor the pregnant woman and baby and prevent the possible development of pre-eclampsia.
To prevent the increase in blood pressure during pregnancy, we advise you to carry out regular physical exercise (walking, yoga for pregnant women or water gymnastics, for example), drink enough water, avoid coffee and minimize salt consumption.
If you have doubts about this topic, ask your doctor all your questions at your next prenatal checkup. He will be able to answer you better than anyone, adapting the information he gives you to your personal medical history and particular physical condition.
