Pregnancy and High Blood Pressure

High Blood Pressure or Hypertension

Blood pressure is the force of the blood on the artery walls as the heart pumps blood through the body. Hypertension is the term for blood pressure that is consistently higher than normal. Normal blood pressure ranges up to 120/80 but your blood pressure can change several times during the same day, depending on whether you are exercising or resting. Your emotions and level of stress can also affect your blood pressure. The pressures are measured in millimeters The upper number (120) is the pressure when the heart pushes blood out to the rest of the body (systolic pressure). The bottom number (80) is the pressure when the heart rests between beats (diastolic pressure). Healthy blood pressure is less than 120/80. If repeated checks of your blood pressure show that it is higher than 140/90, you have hypertension. When your blood pressure is high, your heart has to work harder just to pump a normal amount of blood through your body.

The higher pressure in your arteries may cause them to weaken and bleed, resulting in a stroke.Also, as we age, our blood vessels may become hardened. Hypertension can speed up the hardening process, and hardened or narrowed arteries may be unable to supply the amount of blood the body's organs need. Higher artery pressure may lead to atherosclerosis, in which deposits of cholesterol, fatty substances, and blood cells clog up an artery. Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of heart attacks. It can also cause strokes. The added workload on the heart causes thickening of the heart muscle. Over time, the thickening can damage the heart muscle so that it can no longer pump normally, which can result in a disease called heart failure. It can also cause damage to kidneys or eyes.

How Hypertension Can Affect Pregnancy

There are three types of high blood pressure that can affect you and your baby. With all of them, there are things that you and your doctor can do to minimize the risk to you and your baby. With any type of hypertension, it is very important that you see your doctor regularly to monitor your blood pressure.

The three types are:

• Chronic hypertension – If you have had high blood pressure for some time before your pregnancy, it is probably chronic hypertension. This type of blood pressure may slow the growth of your baby by limiting the amount of blood flowing through the placenta so that the baby receives less of the oxygen and nutrients that it needs. If you are currently taking medication for hypertension, make sure your doctor knows which type you are taking.
• Gestational hypertension – First appears during pregnancy and usually goes away soon after your baby is born. You will need to have your blood pressure checked more often as it may lead to a serious condition called preeclampsia.
• Preeclampsia – Sometimes called toxemia, preeclampsia is a very serious medical condition that can affect all of your vital organs, including your kidneys, liver, brain, heart and eyes. If you have preeclampsia, you may be admitted to the hospital so that you and your baby can be monitored. Severe preeclampsia may result in early delivery in order to save the life of the mother or child, even if the baby is born prematurely. Some women have higher risk factors for preeclampsia. Those include if you are pregnant for the first time, are over 35 years of age, are African-American, are obese, have a history of hypertension, diabetes or kidney disease, or are carrying more than one fetus. In addition, if you or someone in your family has had preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy, you may be more at risk for the condition.

What You Need To Do

Regular prenatal care is required in order to monitor and control your hypertension. The physician or midwife may also suggest that you check your blood pressure regularly at home. There are many easy-to-use devices that you can use to check it as recommended. You must also take any medication that your physician or midwife prescribes exactly as you are instructed.

You will also need to watch for the warning signs of preeclampsia, which includes:

• Headaches
• Problems with your eyes
• Swelling of the hands and face
• Rapid weight gain
• Nausea or vomiting Although all of these symptoms can appear during your pregnancy for other reasons, if you have high blood pressure you need to inform your doctor immediately if you have any of these symptoms.

Remember

If you have any form of hypertension, it is very important that you see your prenatal care provider regularly. The two of you can work together to lower the risks for your baby and help to increase your chances of a healthy pregnancy and baby.