Termed as silent killer by medical professionals, Hypertension is one of the most common medical conditions experienced by people around the world. And being pregnant puts women at a higher risk of hypertension. According to statistics, number of pregnant women who have developed hypertension tripled in last 5 years in India.

Though hypertension and pregnancy is not generally a dangerous combination, hypertension sometimes can result in fatal complications for both mother and baby when left untreated. As most of the women are unaware of the impact of hypertension, here’s a brief guide about Hypertension during pregnancy, its complications, treatment and preventive measures:

What is hypertension?

Heart pumps the blood into the arteries which carry blood to the other parts of the body. The pressure exerted by the pumped blood on the walls of arteries is called as blood pressure. When this pressure exceeds the normal range, it exerts an undue stress on the heart, kidneys causing health problems, this condition is called as hypertension.

A reading of 120/80 is considered normal and anything above 140 in the numerator is termed as high blood pressure or hypertension. In general during the first and second trimester the blood pressure in pregnant women lowers and it stabilising gradually. Though it is perfectly normal for early pregnancy blood pressure to fluctuate, high blood pressure has become alarmingly common these days in pregnant women and it is important to identify the type of hypertension that is being experienced by the women before it is treated.

Type of Hypertension during Pregnancy:

High blood pressure experienced by the patient during the pregnancy can have different names based on the stage of pregnancy:

Chronic Hypertension:

High blood pressure during early pregnancy i.e. before 20 weeks of pregnancy is called as chronic blood pressure which means that the patient has had the high blood pressure even before she became pregnant. If the condition is Chronic, the patient will experience higher blood pressure levels after the pregnancy as well.

Gestational Hypertension:

If the patients starts experiencing high blood pressure after 20 weeks of pregnancy, it is called as Gestational hypertension, which is quite common in pregnant women and usually is not a problem. This type of high blood pressure is temporary and goes away after the pregnancy but in rarest of cases it can develop into chronic hypertension.

Preeclampsia:

Preeclampsia is high blood pressure condition that occur in women during pregnancy or after child birth. It is a serious medical condition to have and can result in fatal consequences if left untreated. This condition may develop gradually or present itself during the pregnancy period. Symptoms of Preeclampsia include abdominal pain, nausea or shortness of breath, vomiting, decrease in urine output, impaired function of liver, vision problems and more.

Risks and complications due to high blood pressure in pregnant women:

Uncontrolled and severe hypertension can cause serious complications for both women and the baby. As the high blood pressure affects the blood vessels of the mother it can impact the flow of nutrients to the baby through placenta resulting in low weight birth .Hypertension may also result in premature delivery to avoid complications which in turn can cause health complications for the child.

Preventive measures for high blood pressure:

Following a healthy lifestyle, limiting the salt intake, exercise always helps in keeping the blood pressure in check. But the most important measure to be taken by the women is to adequately prepare for pregnancy .Consult a health care professional and evaluate your medical condition before planning for a pregnancy. Regular check-ups must be performed also during the pregnancy to make sure you are on the right track. So, in short:

• Plan your way to pregnancy.
• Get all the prenatal check-ups done.
• Stay active and exercise.
• Follow a well-balanced diet.
• Stay on point with your prescribed blood pressure medications.

While high blood pressure in already a potentially a dangerous condition for normal folks, it is even more risky for the pregnant women. As it outs both health of women and her bay to be born at risk, proper care must be taken and help must sought from an experienced medical professional.

Dr.Neelima Mantri has an extraordinary track record of successfully treating helped thousands of women in their pregnancy journey and can help you too. If you are in and around Mumbai, you can schedule her appointments here: https://www.drneelimamantri.com/