High blood pressure during pregnancy can potentially lead to many serious complications, including organ damage, heart disease, and foetal injuries. As a result, hypertension that happens before or during pregnancy must be addressed promptly to prevent more serious health effects from impacting the mother and/or child.
Treatment of pregnancy hypertension depends on the severity of the condition. When effects are mild, doctors might choose to monitor the woman’s blood pressure closely during the course of her pregnancy. In other cases, the severity of symptoms may require medication.
Some forms of blood pressure medication can pose risks to pregnant women and their unborn children. This includes common medications like ACE inhibitors. If doctors determine that the chance of blood pressure complications is high during pregnancy, they may prescribe a different type of hypertension drug that does not carry the same risks. These medications can include:
In the event that a woman is diagnosed with preeclampsia, a serious condition that can elevate blood pressure levels and cause kidney damage, the best way to prevent worsening health effects is to induce birth or perform a Caesarean section. In this event, doctors will try to wait until the 34th week to reduce the risk of birth complications.
It is not always possible to avoid issues with blood pressure while pregnant, but the following steps may help:
For people with a risk of preeclampsia, doctors may recommend taking a daily aspirin at some point during the pregnancy. However, you should only commit to this regimen if recommended by a doctor.