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During pregnancy, every mother wishes and hopes to have a smooth journey and give birth to a bouncing and healthy baby. This is why paying attention to one’s health during this period is essential. Pregnancy comes with a lot of complications that may prove to be detrimental if not addressed accordingly. One of the most common occurrences during pregnancy is high blood pressure. This happens due to different things and may affect anyone whether you’ve had a history of it before or not. To ensure that you keep up with your blood pressure, taking consistent readings is essential. Going to a hospital that is well equipped with hospital use blood pressure monitors is a great first step.
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Types of Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
When it comes to high blood pressure in pregnancy, you’ll find they come in different types mainly because they develop in different stages during pregnancy. These types include:
Preeclampsia
This condition comes when the pregnancy is a bit more advanced at 20 weeks old. When hypertension hits at this stage, you are likely to get preeclampsia which may also lead to some organ damage. If left untreated, this condition may prove to be fatal for both mother and child.
Chronic Hypertension
Chronic hypertension is said to have existed before pregnancy or before it got to 20 weeks old. Given the fact that hypertension at this early stage may not have symptoms, pinpointing when it began during the pregnancy will prove to be difficult.
Gestational Hypertension
When it comes to gestational hypertension, it occurs in the second trimester of the pregnancy and is not as fatal as preeclampsia. It is said to go away after giving birth to your child. With this, you need to ensure that you monitor the condition closely. This is mainly because the potential of it developing into preeclampsia is very high. Treat the condition early to avoid making the condition any worse.
Chronic Hypertension with Superimposed Preeclampsia
This condition is present in women who suffered from chronic hypertension before pregnancy. During pregnancy, if there is a presence of protein in your urine and high blood pressure levels, then you are said to have this condition.
Effects of High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
High blood pressure in pregnancy is not something that should be ignored given that it may present adverse effects. Some of these effects include:
Placental Abruption
Placental abruption features the separation of your placenta from the inner walls of the uterus before delivery. This is mainly caused by preeclampsia and may lead to severe bleeding that may be fatal to both the baby and the mother.
Premature Delivery
If your blood pressure is bringing on too many complications in your pregnancy, early induced delivery may be needed. Early delivery will help avoid further issues that may be life-threatening.
Risk of Developing Heart disease
Preeclampsia brings on a high risk of developing heart disease, especially during your pregnancy. You should ensure that you are taking care of your blood pressure levels to avoid this.
Damage to Other Body Organs
High blood pressure may result in the damage of other body organs that are forced to work extra to keep up with the stress on the body. If your blood pressure is left untreated, you could injure your heart, kidney, lungs, brain, and liver among other major organs.
Signs Of Hypertension in Pregnancy
During pregnancy, the idea of suffering from hypertension may be lost on you especially if you’ve never had such before. However, it is possible to suffer from hypertension during pregnancy with no history of such a condition before. This is why you need to understand some of the signs you should be keen to look out for. They include:
Severe headaches
Kidney problems and decreased urine output
Nausea or vomiting
Shortness of breath mainly caused by the presences of fluids in your lungs
Impaired vision or light sensitivity
Upper abdominal pains
What to do to Avoid High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
High blood pressure during pregnancy can be avoided and also controlled with the right measures set in place. Some of the things to consider include:
Staying Active
Leading an active lifestyle and exercising is something you should strive for before, during, and after pregnancy. This is important given that it plays a big role in ensuring that your blood pressure levels are under control. It also helps with your cardiovascular health and strength. During pregnancy, be sure to go easy on yourself to avoid any complications.
Eating Healthily
It is without a doubt that you should eat healthy during pregnancy despite your high blood pressure levels. However, following up with this will help you keep your blood pressure levels under control.
Monitor Your Blood Pressure
Keeping tabs on your blood pressure is the best way to ensure that you stay on top of your efforts of having a healthier pregnancy. The best part about this is that you can get bp monitors for home use to keep up. Consult a blood pressure monitor supplier to get the best option.
Conclusion
High blood pressure in pregnancy comes in different types and may bring different complications. To avoid this, be sure to follow your doctor’s advice and adopt practices that will help you manage the high blood pressure levels.
