What is high blood pressure during pregnancy?
High Blood Pressure In Pregnancy
Blood pressure is defined as the amount of force that is exerted by the blood against the arterial walls. High blood pressure is also known as hypertension and is known to lead to other medical problems like stroke, kidney failure etc.
Many pregnant women also develop high blood pressure during their pregnancy. High blood pressure during pregnancy is of four types. The most common form of pregnancy high blood pressure is preeclampsia which is known to develop in pregnant women during the 20th week of pregnancy. Preeclampsia which is also known as Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH) is a serious disorder that leads to high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the pregnant mother’s urine. Preeclampsia is known to be dangerous because it’s adversely affects the placenta and can also damage the mother’s brain, kidney liver and even cause seizures. In fact preeclampsia is one of the leading causes of maternal death. Complications in the baby on account of preeclampsia could range from premature birth, low birth weight and even stillbirth. Preeclampsia is known to go away on its own after the baby is delivered and hence that is the only way to cure it.
Gestational Hypertension
Another form of high blood pressure during pregnancy is gestational hypertension which is known to affect pregnant women after their 20th week of pregnancy. Women with gestational pregnancy do not have protein in their urine but may later develop preeclampsia. Chronic hypertension in pregnant women is typically observed during or after the 20th week of pregnancy. The downside of chronic hypertension is that unlike the other forms of pregnancy related hypertension, it does not go away after the child is delivered .Finally there are a few women who develop both chronic hypertension and preeclampsia together which is highly dangerous for mother and child and hence they are monitored closely. Some symptoms of hypertension in pregnant women include recurrent abdominal pain, blurred vision, persistent headaches, sensitivity to light etc.
There are some preventive actions that women can take before and during pregnancy such as completely stopping the intake of caffeine, nicotine and alcohol, ensuring that their blood pressure and urine are checked regularly, visit their doctor on a regular basis and also minimize the intake of salt. Pregnant women are also advised to increase the intake of anti oxidants found in fresh fruits and vegetables and also vitamins C and D. Regular walks and light exercises also help in avoiding high blood pressure during pregnancy.
Submitted by P T on June 15, 2010 at 12:20
