Pregnant and nonpregnant woman may have the same risk factors and side effects from high blood pressure. Gaining weight from pregnancy can increase these risk factors even more and should be taken very seriously. Prenatal care is of the utmost importance when monitoring blood pressure, especially if a woman has a high-risk pregnancy.
Pregnancy Timeline
During the first few weeks of pregnancy, the muscle tissue in the blood vessels relaxes, which may cause the mother’s blood pressure to fall below normal. Halfway through pregnancy, which is 20 weeks of gestation, blood pressure slowly rises again to normal range. Blood pressure should be closely monitored at this time, as it is prime time for complications to occur that can raise blood pressure above normal.
Blood Pressure
Normal systolic blood pressure is considered to be 120 mm Hg. Normal diastolic blood pressure is considered to be 80 mm Hg. A pregnant woman who reaches 170 mm Hg systolic or 110 mm Hg diastolic will be considered at high risk for high blood pressure complications.
Risk Factors
Women who have certain risk factors before pregnancy may automatically be put at high risk during their pregnancy. Risk factors for both pregnant and nonpregnant woman include, but are not limited to, diabetes, renal disease, autoimmune diseases, multiple pregnancies, obesity, age and early onset pre-eclampsia. Women over the age of 35 who become pregnant fall into the high-risk factor for age.
Pre-eclampsia
This is the most common problem for pregnant woman who experience high blood pressure. Pre-eclampsia should be taken very seriously, as it affects the liver, kidneys, brain and placenta. It should be monitored closely by a physician, as it could result in the death of the mother.
Increased protein in the urine may be an indicator for pre-eclampsia. Increased physical activity, anxiety or a specific time of day may elevate blood pressure and should be noted by the physician, as any of these symptoms may exacerbate pre-eclampsia. The doctor may prescribe bed rest if the pre-eclampsia becomes severe.
Drugs
A study done by L. Duley et al. and published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews in 2006 showed that taking calcium supplements helped lower high blood pressure and the risk of pre-eclampsia by about half for pregnant women. Antihypertensive drugs may also help lower blood pressure, but the doctor needs to monitor the mother closely, as any drug taken by the mother will cross into the placenta and affect the unborn child. Pregnant women should not take any drugs or supplements without consulting a physician.
