High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy: Is It Normal? Know Types And Possible Risks

High blood pressure: You should constantly check your blood pressure during pregnancy

High blood pressure or hypertension can affect pregnant women a well. A pregnant woman has to be very careful about various health conditions to ensure good health of the unborn child. Similarly, during pregnancy you have to be very careful about your blood pressure numbers. In most cases, it does not affect the mother and the child but it should not be ignored. If left untreated it may cause some complication for the baby and the mother both. Therefore you need to keep a constant check on your blood pressure numbers constantly so that you can control hypertension to avoid any kind of complication.

Dr. Manu Sharma explains "The risk of Pregnancy-induced Hypertension (PIH) is majorly seen to rise with age of the women. In majority of the cases, PIH is seen these days due to a change in the lifestyle of women. Work Pressure, late pregnancy, age, stress and more are some possible reasons behind this. Though it doesn't always cause trouble, it is better to be careful and not let PIH cause risks to the pregnancy as in one of the cases I handled recently, where, extreme hypertension resulted into pre-mature delivery of the feotus, landing it into a life risk. During pregnancy, a woman may face several health complications and PIH is one of those. It is not like any other normal situation and women should never under any condition take a hypertension medicine without consulting an expert."

Some poor habits can cause high blood pressure during pregnancy
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Hypertension: Types of high blood pressure condition during pregnancy

High blood pressure during pregnancy can be divided into three different parts based on the condition and the week of the pregnancy. These three categories are-

1. Chronic hypertension

This type usually occurs during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. It usually does not have any symptom and can be controlled easily. You can check with your doctor to control it at the right time.

2. Gestational hypertension

This usually happens after 20 weeks of pregnancy. In most cases, it becomes normal after delivering the child. But in some cases, it can increase the risk of preeclampsia.

3. Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is quite complicated. It can be dangerous for the mother and her baby if not treated on time. It usually happens after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Preeclampsia can be diagnosed on time and treatment can be given accordingly.

Also read: Lear More About Pre-eclampsia & Eclampsia

What are the complications associated with high blood pressure during pregnancy?

Pregnancy-related high blood pressure is associated with many risks; some of them can be-

1. Injury to different organs- High blood pressure if not controlled on time can cause harm to other organs like brain, heart, lungs, kidneys or liver.

2. Premature delivery- In some cases due to high blood pressure early delivery is required to prevent any kind of complication.

3. Increases the risk of heart diseases- High blood pressure while you are pregnant can increase your risk of heart diseases in the future.

4. Low birth weight- There is a possibility of restricted flow of blood and oxygen to the baby which can lead to low birth weight or slow growth of the baby.

Do not ignore high blood pressure if you are pregnant
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Also read: Debunking Top 10 Pregnancy Myths

High blood pressure during pregnancy usually does not have any ill-effect but you must get your blood pressure numbers checked regularly. If your blood pressure is high, get it treated on time and do not take any medicine without your doctor's consultation.

(Dr. Manu Sharma is a Consultant Paediatrics and Neonatology at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Mohali)

Also read: High Blood Pressure Remedies: These Teas Can Lower Your Blood Pressure Numbers Naturally
 

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