High blood pressure
About ten to 15 percent of all women who are pregnant for the first time will develop high blood pressure (hypertension). Every time you visit your obstetrician at PUUR for a check-up, she will measure your blood pressure. If the upper pressure is higher than 140 and/or the lower pressure higher than 90, we speak of hypertension. If you already had hypertension prior to the pregnancy or if your blood pressure was too high at the first check-up, your pregnancy will be supervised by the gynecologist.
CAUSE
It is not (yet) entirely clear what causes gestational hypertension, but it certainly has to do with the development of the placenta and the pregnancy hormones.
It can be dangerous for you and your child. In hypertension, your blood vessels narrow, which means less blood can flow to the baby. As a result, the baby receives less oxygen and nutrients. This can cause the baby to stop growing properly, this is called growth retardation.
A complication of hypertension is preeclampsia. This causes your kidneys and liver to work less well, and a clotting disorder can occur. HELPP syndrome is a severe variant of preeclampsia involving organ damage.
With a mild form of pregnancy hypertension, you often have no complaints. In more severe forms you may suffer from:
- Headache
- Seeing stars
- Feeling a tight band around your head or upper abdomen
- Pain in the upper abdomen or between the shoulder blades
- Sudden fluid retention throughout your body
Do you recognize one or a combination of these complaints? Then contact your midwife.
Your midwife will measure blood pressure and check your urine for proteins. If there are proteins in the urine, it could be a sign that your kidneys are no longer working properly. The obstetrician often measures the blood pressure again shortly afterwards, because it is sometimes normal anyway.
If there is hypertension, you have complaints and/or there are proteins in your urine, you will be checked extra in the hospital. A heart film (CTG) of the baby is made there to determine the baby's condition. Your blood will be examined for any abnormal blood values that may indicate organ damage or clotting disorders. If all the results are good, you will be given a follow-up appointment for a few days later. If there is an abnormal result, you will be admitted to the hospital so that they can keep a close eye on you and your baby. Depending on the severity of the hypertension, you will be prescribed medication. In case of serious complications, the gynecologist may decide to induce labor early. This decision is especially made when it is too dangerous for your baby to stay in your womb any longer due to lack of oxygen and nutrients.
