How To Care For A Pregnancy With High Blood Pressure - By: Apurva Shree

Pregnancy with high blood pressure requires special care for both the mother and the fetus. Some women can control high blood pressure through diet and exercise, by reducing salt intake and oil, and with medication. However, the question really is, Is pregnancy with high blood pressure safe? The answer for most women is, Yes, it is. However, prenatal care is essential and you need to know a few more things.

The effects of high blood pressure during pregnancy can be mild to severe. Although some pregnant women with high blood pressure have healthy babies, high blood pressure in general can harm the mother kidney or other organs or may cause premature delivery. The newborn child can be underweight too.

Types Of Pregnancy With High Blood Pressure
There are mainly three different types of high blood pressure during pregnancy.

1. Chronic hypertension: When high blood pressure develops before 20 weeks of pregnancy or lasts more than 12 weeks after delivery. Often, it happens that chronic hypertension was present, but not detected, before pregnancy.
2. Gestational hypertension: When high blood pressure develops after 20 weeks of pregnancy and usually disappears after delivery.
3. Preeclampsia: A serious condition characterized by increased blood pressure and protein in the urine after 20 weeks of pregnancy. If left untreated, Preeclampsia can lead to serious, even fatal complications for both mother and the baby.

If you are planning to get pregnant, you must consult your doctor. If you are already pregnant, you should again keep in touch with your doctor for he will check your weight and blood pressure on a regular basis. If you are a patient of pregnancy with high blood pressure, you should carefully observe the following symptoms

Headaches
Blurred vision or sensitivity to light
Abdominal pain
Nausea or vomiting
Decrease urine output
Sudden weight gain

If you face any of the above signs, immediately talk to your doctor about it. If you are taking any medicine, your doctor should know about that as well. Any medication taken during pregnancy can affect the baby, however if medication is needed, the doctor will prescribe the safest medication at the most appropriate dose.

Although, high blood pressure and related disorders during pregnancy can have serious repercussions, most women have successful pregnancies even though they develop Preeclampsia. Along with the precautions given by your doctor, it is very important that you keep yourself happy and engaged in activity. You should enjoy the changes that occur during these nine months and record your pregnancy week by week in a pregnancy journal. You should remain relaxed especially during the last trimester. Get high on being pregnant not on your blood pressure!

About the Author

Pregnancy with high blood pressure requires more care and treatment. However if you follow you doctor advice all through your pregnancy and record your pregnancy week by week, there is no reason why you should not deliver a healthy baby in spite of your high blood pressure.

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