Reasons For High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy – High blood pressure during pregnancy, also known as gestational hypertension or preeclampsia, can pose significant risks to both mother and baby. Understanding the causes, symptoms, complications, and potential risks associated with this condition is crucial to ensure proper monitoring and timely medical intervention. This comprehensive guide aims to delve deeper into the different aspects of high blood pressure during pregnancy, shed light on its origins, identify the symptoms, discuss the complications and elucidate the possible risks it entails for both the health of the mother and the baby.

Gestational hypertension: This type of high blood pressure develops after 20 weeks of pregnancy. It usually resolves after delivery and shows no signs of protein in the urine or other complications associated with preeclampsia.

Reasons For High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy

Chronic hypertension: Some women have high blood pressure even before they become pregnant or before 20 weeks of pregnancy. This condition requires treatment during pregnancy as it can increase the risk of complications.

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Preeclampsia: This is a serious condition characterized by high blood pressure and signs of damage to other organ systems, usually after 20 weeks of pregnancy. It can affect the kidneys, liver and other organs and can lead to complications for both mother and baby if not managed quickly.

Preeclampsia superimposed on chronic hypertension: Occurs when a woman with chronic hypertension develops worsening high blood pressure and signs of organ damage during pregnancy, indicating the development of preeclampsia.

Eclampsia: This is a serious complication of preeclampsia characterized by seizures in a pregnant woman with high blood pressure. It requires immediate medical attention as it carries serious risks for both the mother and the baby.

If you or someone you know is experiencing high blood pressure during pregnancy or has concerns about it, seeking immediate medical attention and consultation with a gynecologist or obstetrician is crucial for proper evaluation, management and care.

Normal Blood Pressure Range During Pregnancy Chart & Example

Proteinuria: Presence of protein in the urine, which can be detected by a urine test. This is often a sign of preeclampsia.

Swelling (edema): Swelling, especially in the hands, face, and feet, that may not go away even after resting or elevating the legs.

Vision changes: blurred vision, sensitivity to light, or seeing spots or floaters. These may indicate eye or visual changes due to high blood pressure.

Abdominal pain: Pain in the upper abdomen, often under the ribs on the right side. This may be a sign of complications related to high blood pressure.

High Blood Pressure Means High Risk In Pregnancy

Nausea or vomiting: Persistent nausea or vomiting, which may be accompanied by abdominal pain, can also be associated with high blood pressure problems during pregnancy.

Decreased urination: A decrease in urine production could indicate problems related to high blood pressure, although other factors such as hydration are also important to consider.

Preeclampsia: is a serious disease characterized by high blood pressure and damage to other organs, usually the liver and kidneys. It can cause protein in the urine, swelling, severe headaches, vision changes and, in severe cases, can be life-threatening for both mother and baby.

Eclampsia: This is a rare but serious complication of preeclampsia. It involves seizures during pregnancy or soon after delivery, which can lead to coma or even death if not treated quickly.

Women With High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy More Likely To Develop Cvd Risk Factors

Placental abruption: High blood pressure can cause the placenta to separate from the uterine wall before delivery, causing bleeding and possibly depriving the baby of oxygen and nutrients.

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR): High blood pressure can restrict blood flow to the baby, affecting its growth and development. This can lead to low birth weight or premature birth.

Preterm delivery: Hypertension during pregnancy can increase the risk of delivering the baby before 37 weeks, leading to possible complications associated with prematurity.

Future cardiovascular problems: Women who experience high blood pressure during pregnancy are at increased risk of developing hypertension, heart disease and stroke later in life.

Blood Pressure Patterns In Early Pregnancy Tied To Later Risk Of Pregnancy Related Hypertension Complications

Previous history: Women who have had high blood pressure or related conditions in previous pregnancies are at increased risk.

Family history: A family history of preeclampsia or chronic hypertension may increase the likelihood of developing high blood pressure during pregnancy.

Medical conditions: Preexisting conditions such as chronic hypertension, diabetes, kidney disease, or autoimmune disease may increase your risk.

Multiple pregnancy: Women carrying multiple fetuses (twins, triplets, etc.) have a higher risk of developing high blood pressure.

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Assisted reproductive techniques: Women who have conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF) or other assisted reproductive techniques may be at slightly higher risk.

Personal lifestyle factors: Unhealthy lifestyle choices such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, or lack of physical activity can contribute to an increased risk of high blood pressure during pregnancy.

Poor diet: A diet high in sodium and low in certain nutrients such as potassium can increase your risk of high blood pressure.

High blood pressure during pregnancy requires careful monitoring, prompt diagnosis and effective management to mitigate risks and ensure the well-being of both mother and baby. Regular prenatal care, healthy lifestyle choices, and medical interventions as advised by healthcare professionals play a critical role in minimizing the complications associated with this disease. By understanding its causes, recognizing the symptoms, addressing the complications, and recognizing the potential risks involved, expectant mothers can take proactive steps to safeguard their health and that of their child during this critical phase of life. Please note: This article was published more than two years ago, so some information may be out of date. If you have questions about your health, always contact a healthcare professional.

High Blood Pressure

A daily dose of aspirin could help pregnant women in the early stages of high blood pressure avoid a condition that puts both mother and baby at risk, according to a new study.

New guidelines that lower the threshold for what defines high blood pressure pose a dilemma for doctors treating pregnant women at risk of preeclampsia. High blood pressure is a risk factor for this condition, which can cause stroke and seizures; premature separation of the placenta; damage to the mother’s kidneys and liver; and premature birth and low birth weight.

And while women at high risk of preeclampsia already receive low-dose aspirin as a preventive measure, doctors must now decide whether to give it to women who were not considered candidates for the drug under previous blood pressure guidelines.

“We’re going to have a lot more patients coming in with the new diagnosis of high blood pressure, and we had to figure out what to do. What is their risk for preeclampsia? Is it the same?” said Dr. Alisse Hauspurg, who is in her second year of a maternal-fetal medicine fellowship at Magee-Womens Hospital at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

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He led the University of Pittsburgh study, published Friday in the Journal of the American Association of Hypertension, which shows that low-dose aspirin could help prevent preeclampsia in women in the first stage of high blood pressure. Blood pressure guidelines released in November now consider a reading of 130 in the upper part or 80 in the lower part to be stage 1 hypertension. In the past, that standard was 140/90.

Hauspurg’s research showed that taking low-dose aspirin reduced the risk of developing preeclampsia by 39 percent in women with stage 1 hypertension compared with those taking a placebo.

“I was really surprised that the difference is as big as it is,” Hauspurg said. The study was a second look at data collected in a trial investigating low-dose aspirin to prevent preeclampsia in high-risk women.

However, aspirin did not significantly reduce the likelihood of preeclampsia in women who did not have high blood pressure but were still at high risk for the condition. These included women with insulin-dependent diabetes and prior preeclampsia, among other risk factors, for whom the risk of preeclampsia decreased by only 3 percent.

Increased Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes Associated With Stage 1 Hypertension In A Low Risk Cohort

The women were recruited between 1989 and 1992 and received 60 milligrams of aspirin a day during pregnancy. Today, a dose of 81 to 160 milligrams is more common, Hauspurg said. The original study included 2,539 women, but only 1,020 were used in this analysis, which did not include women who were carrying multiple fetuses and who had pre-existing hypertension that is now classified as stage 2.

The substantial difference in outcome between women with and without high blood pressure highlights the need for further study, the doctors said. In fact, doctors said they don’t know what causes preeclampsia or how aspirin affects it.

Preeclampsia affects about 3.4 percent of pregnancies in the United States and causes 10 to 15 percent of maternal deaths worldwide, according to National Institutes of Health estimates.

“We’re dealing with a problem that we really don’t understand,” said Dr. Monique Chireau, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Duke University School of Medicine, who was not involved in the study.

Understanding Preeclampsia Risk, Prevention And Management

Chireau said the findings suggest there may be many pathways to preeclampsia, and that aspirin may not work in all of them.

Hauspurg cautioned that one study is not enough to stop giving aspirin to all women at risk of preeclampsia. “I don’t want to jump to conclusions,” he said.

For now, Hauspurg said the study could help create more targeted tests. For example, statins and metformin are being tested as potential risk-reducing agents for preeclampsia, although these drugs are not as safe as

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