High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy – How to Control It?

During all your prenatal visits, your obstetrician will measure your blood pressure and record it in your booklet, tracking your blood pressure history. This procedure must be performed for ongoing monitoring, as if high blood pressure is detected during pregnancy, extra care will be needed up until delivery.

Blood Pressure Control

When blood pressure exceeds 140/90 mmHg, especially if the woman has never had high blood pressure before, the doctor should be on alert and maintain closer monitoring, particularly if the woman is already nearing the end of the second trimester¹.

Blood pressure is measured in two ways: systolic and diastolic pressure. During pregnancy, the diastolic pressure, which is the lower number, will be closely monitored. If high blood pressure is recorded more than twice in the same week, extra precautions must be taken.

The concern about high blood pressure in pregnancy is due to a very serious problem that can cause severe or even fatal harm to the mother and her baby. This problem is known as preeclampsia which causes your body’s protein to be eliminated through urine.

The test that will diagnose preeclampsia² is a urine test, which your obstetrician should request as soon as any suspicion arises. The diagnosis is confirmed if protein is found in the urine sample, and your doctor visits should become more frequent for stricter blood pressure monitoring, along with more regular tests. It’s common for women with high blood pressure in pregnancy to complain about severe headaches and neck pain, blurry vision with bright spots, and swelling all over the body, especially in the legs and feet.

Important: Pregnant women who already suffer from hypertension should have continuous care and treatment with a cardiologist during pregnancy to prevent worsening hypertension that could harm the baby’s health.

What Can You Do to Control High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy?

Your doctor will recommend a balanced diet avoiding salty foods and strong seasonings. The recommended foods are those rich in folic acid and magnesium, which help blood vessels work better. Along with improving your diet, it’s essential to drink plenty of fluids. Of course, this alone will not be enough to lower high blood pressure during pregnancy, but it will help to control it, since salt is one of the main causes of increased blood pressure at any stage of life.

It’s recommended to get absolute rest and avoid worries and stress as much as possible, as they can cause your blood pressure to rise even further. If all your doctor’s instructions do not result in lowering and controlling your high blood pressure, they may recommend the use of antihypertensive medications³.

Women with pre-existing hypertension often experience a dramatic worsening of the condition during pregnancy and therefore need even closer monitoring not just by the obstetrician but also by the cardiologist. Controlling weight gain and diet should be even stricter, and often the medication previously used must be switched to one that poses no risk to the pregnancy. Talk to your doctor about which one is best for you!

Generally, women who decide to become pregnant later in life are at higher risk for high blood pressure during pregnancy. Most of them have a busy and stressful work routine, and for this reason, wait a long time before deciding to get pregnant, often waiting for professional stability. About 14% of women over 40 develop high blood pressure during pregnancy, which is why these pregnancies are considered more delicate by doctors.

Pregnancy Risks

When high blood pressure can’t be controlled or reduced through diet and medications, delivery should be brought forward as soon as possible because, due to high blood pressure, both baby and mother are at serious risk of death.

In fact, 75% of deaths caused by high blood pressure are due to preeclampsia. Therefore, this should be treated with great care and responsibility, not just by the medical team but also by the mother, who needs to be aware of the real situation.

See also: Hypertension and Pregnancy – Lucy

Photo: Bettina Neuefeind