Hypertension, in other words high blood pressure, can be briefly explained as the pressure exerted by the blood on the arterial wall. A normal person's blood pressure may vary depending on the activities they do during the day. However, high blood pressure can be diagnosed by the doctor when the blood pressure is high in the majority of measurements made at multiple and different times. Hypertension, which also increases the risk of heart diseases, can be seen in people of all ages and genders. Today, the problem of high blood pressure in pregnancy has become an increasingly common condition. As a result of high blood pressure during pregnancy, some risks arise for both the baby and the mother. You can read the rest of the article for your questions about pregnancy hypertension.
What is Hypertension in Pregnancy?
The organ responsible for pumping blood throughout the body is the heart. With each beat of the heart (every time the heart pumps blood), blood is carried to the body by filling the veins. In this transport process, there is a pressure exerted by the blood on the arterial walls. This pressure is called blood pressure and is found by measuring it by an instrument. There are two types of blood pressure, systolic (systolic blood pressure) and diastolic blood pressure (diastolic blood pressure). Systolic blood pressure refers to the pressure in the artery after each pump. Diastolic blood pressure measures the arterial pressure between the two beats of the heart, that is, at rest. blood pressure value; On average, systolic blood pressure should not exceed 120 mmHg for systolic blood pressure, and 80 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure, ie diastolic blood pressure. Otherwise, it is absolutely necessary for your health to be checked by a doctor.
It is important for both the mother and the baby to have a healthy pregnancy period. For this reason, the health of both is checked regularly from the beginning of pregnancy. In this control process, the existing or possible diseases of the mother are also taken into account. Hypertension is one of them, and your blood pressure is usually checked at each appointment. If you have a history of hypertension or if hypertension developed for the first time during pregnancy, you should definitely see a gynecologist. In this process, you will receive a healthcare professional trained on gestational blood pressure. Treatment and support will be provided by a specialist. In addition to being worrying, blood pressure during pregnancy may contain some risks that may adversely affect the health of both mother and baby. People who are currently using blood pressure medication and are considering pregnancy should talk to their doctor beforehand. Because some blood pressure medications may not be safe during pregnancy, so your doctor may recommend a medication change. If you are already taking medication and you have just learned that you are pregnant, you should definitely inform your doctor about the subject as soon as possible.
Symptoms of High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
Symptoms of high blood pressure during pregnancy are the same as in people who are not pregnant. However, even when hypertension reaches dangerous levels during pregnancy, it often does not show any symptoms. As a symptom in some people;
- headache
- blurred vision and
- nose bleeding can be mentioned.
Risk Factors for Hypertension in Pregnancy
High blood pressure during pregnancy may have some complications for the mother and the baby. Some of these complications may be as follows: For the mother:
- Preeclampsia (You can get more detailed information from the article "pregnancy poisoning")
- Stroke,
- Need to administer medication to induce labor
- Separation of the placenta from the uterus where it was before delivery
- Birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy
- Low birth weight ( Babies with a birth weight of less than 2500 g). Often the early symptoms are high blood pressure and protein in the urine. The presence of these symptoms can be noticed during pregnancy check-ups. For this reason, it is important that you go to your check-ups regularly, without skipping. Apart from this, some of the conditions that may be risk factors for preeclampsia are:
- Chronic hypertension or chronic kidney disease before pregnancy Being warm
- Having had high blood pressure or preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy
- Obesity
- Pregnancy over 40 years
- Multiple pregnancy being pregnant)
- Having a family history of preeclampsia
Hypertension Treatment in Pregnancy
Increased blood pressure during pregnancy; It usually has a treatment process that includes medication, lifestyle changes, and follow-up with regular checkups. In some people, blood pressure may return to normal or continue after pregnancy. Things to do at this stage may differ depending on when hypertension occurs. The course of treatment is as follows:
- If you had hypertension before getting pregnant: You can start using the appropriate medicine for you by talking to your doctor. With a healthy diet and adequate physical activity, you can maintain a healthy weight for you.
- If you have high blood pressure during pregnancy: You can consult your doctor as soon as possible and learn the treatment you need to apply. Monitoring your blood pressure by buying a blood pressure monitor at home, questioning your symptoms in terms of preeclampsia, and adopting healthy lifestyle habits can help you pass this process with less risk. may be at risk for problems. Therefore, paying attention to how you feel and having regular check-ups may be the best option for your health.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hypertension During Pregnancy
Possible risks during pregnancy It is a concern for every mother. In order to ease your worries, you can take a look at frequently asked questions about pregnancy hypertension. During pregnancy, your body no longer only needs to nourish itself, but also your baby. This causes some changes in the body; such as increased blood production to feed the baby, increased heart rate as a result of increased blood production. When factors such as these are combined with other factors such as genetic predisposition, some pregnancy It may cause high blood pressure in pregnancy. between blood pressure. It should be checked regularly; but usually does not require treatment
- Moderate Hypertension: blood pressure between 150/100 and 159/109 mmHg.
- Severe Hypertension: 160/110 mmHg or higher blood pressure
Does High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy Harm the Baby? In the womb, the baby needs enough oxygen and nutrients to grow and develop. However, high blood pressure can cause problems and even premature birth. Apart from this, some blood pressure medications may cause problems by causing a decrease in blood flow to the placenta, that is, to your baby, or by other effects. For this reason, you should definitely spend your pregnancy period under the control of a doctor and by following your doctor's treatment and recommendations. however, some lifestyle changes can be good for blood pressure. For example:
- Doing 150 minutes of physical activity every week: It is recommended to do about 30 minutes of walking or other activities 5 days a week (9).
- Reducing salt: In this process, directly without tasting the food If you have a habit of throwing salt, you can question this.
- Not smoking and not using alcohol: Even if you are having a healthy pregnancy, you should definitely stay away from smoking and alcohol.
- To implement a healthy eating plan: In case of hypertension, especially the Mediterranean Diet You can follow a diet rich in vegetables, fruits and healthy oils known as olive oil and nuts. You can consult a dietitian for more detailed and accurate information on the subject.
- Staying away from stress
- Medication therapy
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