High blood pressure during pregnancy

High blood pressure during pregnancy occurs in many women. Bearing a child is not only 9 months of happy waiting, but also a big burden on the body.

High blood pressure during pregnancy is a dangerous signal for both the woman and the baby.

The narrowed vessels do not allow the blood to adequately deliver oxygen and other necessary substances to the embryo, which threatens to disrupt the development of the fetus. Also, high blood pressure during pregnancy can cause placental abruption and unplanned childbirth or miscarriage.

General characteristics of pressure in pregnant women

It is generally accepted that the ideal pressure is within 120/80 mm Hg. Art. But, as medical practice shows, at the present time such an indicator is becoming less and less common. And a healthy person is considered if his blood pressure does not exceed 130/90 mm Hg. Art. As for the future mother, the pressure during pregnancy that was before her is considered excellent.

But still deviations from the norm are allowed. And indicators are called acceptable if they do not exceed 140/90 mm Hg. Art. and do not go down more than 90/60 mm Hg. Art.

But, again, it all depends on the well-being of the woman and her baby. There are cases that even with a slight deviation from the norm, hospitalization is required.

Deviations from the norm.
In the first weeks in the female body, significant hormonal changes occur. The formation of tissues that will subsequently support the vital activity of the embryo, protect it from negative influences, can cause a decrease in pressure in a pregnant woman. A similar deviation in the first trimester is characterized by the influence of the hormone progesterone. It is he who provokes the relaxation of the walls of the arteries.

By the end of the 20th week, an additional circle of blood circulation is formed in a pregnant woman. The heart of the expectant mother is working in an enhanced mode. The volume of blood that it pumps in the third trimester rises to 2 liters. In addition, in the body in the later stages, the number of substances that the placenta produces significantly increases, and body weight increases. All this contributes to a slight increase in blood pressure. The deviation from the norm in this case is considered normal if it does not rise by more than 20 divisions of the manometer, does not affect the woman's well-being.

Causes and consequences of high blood pressure in pregnant women

Much more anxiety delivers high blood pressure caused by other factors.

BP increase factors

Causes that can cause an increase in pressure:

1. Stress. There are times when the female body does not have time to adapt to the increased stress. As a result, the immune system reacts with surges in blood pressure.
2. Lack of compensatory forces. The heart of a woman in position must pump a much larger volume of blood. The inability to cope with such a load is transformed into high tonometer readings.
3. genetic predisposition. A frequent factor, which at the present time is given special importance. So, if a pregnant woman has one of her relatives registered with a therapist or cardiologist, then there is a high probability that the expectant mother will have problems with changes in blood pressure.
4. Smoking. Nicotine affects the cardiovascular system in the first place. In addition to the fact that a child is poisoned with strong poisons even before birth (which can provoke the most unforeseen consequences in the development of the fetus), smoking causes a spasm of blood vessels, which makes it difficult for blood to pass through the channels. As a result, the pressure rises sharply.
5. Sedentary lifestyle. A woman who spends too little time on physical activity is more likely to "earn" high blood pressure during pregnancy. An “untrained” heart copes much worse with the loads placed on it.
6. Obesity. Doctors always recommend women in position to monitor their diet. Too much and frequent consumption of very high-calorie foods leads to a significant increase in body weight, cholesterol deposition, which can cause not only high blood pressure, but also significant complications of the cardiovascular system.
7. Pathology of the kidneys. In diseases such as pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis, blood pressure can increase.
8. Violation of the functioning of the thyroid gland, pituitary gland, adrenal glands. Often it is the failure of these organs that leads to a significant jump in blood pressure.
9. Hypertension. Women with this diagnosis are recommended to check blood pressure for several days. As a rule, pregnant women with hypertension require hospitalization (after 37 weeks before delivery).

Complications with an increase in blood pressure

If a woman’s pregnancy is not her first and she faced the problem of high blood pressure during periods of previous gestation, there is a high probability of a recurrence of the pathology.

Constantly high blood pressure in pregnant women can lead to preeclampsia. For nine months, a lot of protein and other substances enter the bloodstream. In case of any dysfunction of the cardiovascular and excretory systems, the excretion of substances is disturbed. As a result, protein appears in urine, swelling of the placenta and limbs occurs in the expectant mother, and metabolic processes between the pregnant woman and the embryo become more complicated.

With increased blood pressure in the later stages, the manifestation of preeclampsia and eclampsia is possible. With such pathologies, constant preeclampsia occurs and blood pressure indicators are very high. A woman may develop mental build-up, headaches, blurred vision. In especially difficult conditions, convulsions, coma occur.

In addition, high blood pressure threatens the following complications:

1. Violation of the placental circulation.
2. Hypoxia, lack of nutrients. These factors can provoke a delay in fetal development, pathologies of a congenital nature, neurological disorders.
3. Detachment of the placenta. This process can lead to premature birth or miscarriage.
4. Violation of the supply of oxygen to the mother's brain, which is fraught with serious consequences.
5. Increased pressure in pregnant women in the early stages can cause bleeding, hemorrhage.
6. Deterioration of the general condition of the pregnant woman.
7. Loss of consciousness, convulsions. With such manifestations against the background of high blood pressure, the doctor may prescribe an abortion, as these symptoms can threaten the life of a woman.

A future mother may not always notice a change in blood pressure. Every time you visit a doctor, you need to check this indicator.

In the case of significantly overestimated numbers of the tonometer, the doctor recommends the correction of these indicators and regular monitoring at home.

Symptoms and treatment of high blood pressure

A woman in a position who already had problems with pressure must have a tonometer at home and know how to use it. If there is no such device at hand, you should pay attention to your well-being.

The following manifestations “speak” about high pressure in a pregnant woman:

• dizziness;
• bad feeling;
• headache;
• spots before the eyes;
• noise in ears;
• the appearance of red spots;
• vomit;
• pain in the abdomen;
• skin redness;
• nausea.

If any of the above symptoms occur, you should immediately consult a doctor. Don't put off going to the hospital until later. This can have very negative consequences.

Hospitalization

When visiting the clinic, the doctor will most likely recommend hospitalization. Many women refuse this. But such a decision can hardly be called reasonable, because even if the state has been stabilized, after a while everything can change dramatically and the situation will worsen. In order not to endanger life - your own and the child's, it is better to spend some time in the clinic. In stationary conditions, doctors will determine the cause of high tonometer readings and prescribe appropriate therapy.

If the pressure increased in the second trimester, hospitalization will prevent the development of preeclampsia or detect it in a timely manner.

Women who had problems with high blood pressure before pregnancy are recommended to be hospitalized after the first trip to the antenatal clinic, at any week of pregnancy. This is necessary, since it is required to determine the degree of hypertension, predict possible complications and choose the right methods of treatment. With a mild course of the disease, when the pressure during pregnancy managed to stabilize and restore good health, the pregnant woman can be sent home, but at the beginning of the third trimester, inpatient therapy will be needed again. This is due to the fact that during this period the likelihood of a hypertensive crisis increases significantly.

After 37 weeks, a woman diagnosed with hypertension is placed in the clinic until the very birth. The pressure in such pregnant women is unstable, it changes all the time. And hospitalization will make it possible to control the patient's condition, choose the method of delivery, and carry out preparatory measures. With an exacerbation of the disease in the later stages, inpatient treatment should be carried out immediately. This will prevent the aggravation of the condition of the woman and the baby.

Hospitalization is prescribed at any stage of pregnancy with the following indicators:

• blood pressure is greater than 140/90 mm Hg. Art.;
• protein in the urine is more than 0.033 g/l;
• symptoms of poor circulation.

With a slight increase in blood pressure, treatment is carried out on an outpatient basis. To begin with, the doctor prescribes non-drug methods of therapy: diet, physiotherapy, correction of fluid intake. If such methods did not have the desired effect or the condition worsened, the woman, no matter what week of pregnancy she is in, is placed in a hospital and prescribed medications.

Home pressure control

The doctor measures the pressure during pregnancy every time you visit the antenatal clinic. But if there are risk factors, it is necessary to check the pressure indicators at home twice a day. Such procedures allow you to control the condition of the pregnant woman, and in case of aggravation of the pathology, start treatment on time.

You can determine high blood pressure during pregnancy with any tonometer.

Before starting the procedure, you should rest for a few minutes. It is also not recommended to drink strong drinks, spicy food. Measurement is best done on an empty stomach, after visiting the ladies' room.

The process of measuring pressure in pregnant women is as follows:

1. The woman needs to be seated comfortably. It is necessary that during the procedure the back rests on the back of the chair, and the hand is at chest level. Legs cannot be crossed.
2. The hand for the procedure should be completely free from clothing. Carefully make sure that nothing presses on the limb.
3. The cuff is applied to the forearm in such a way that its lower edge recedes from the elbow bend by about two centimeters. At the same time, it is not recommended to tighten it too much.
4. A membrane is applied near the cuff, a stethoscope is inserted into the ears, and a valve is closed on the pear.
5. By repeatedly pressing the rubber pear, air is pumped.
6. Inflation of the cuff should be done until the arrow on the pressure gauge screen rises ten divisions above the expected values. If the measurement is taken for the first time, air is pumped until the arrow reaches the number 180.
7. After that, the valve on the pear must be opened very slowly. At first it is possible to listen to noises. It is necessary to fix the first clear blow. This will be an indicator of the activity of the heart in the systolic period (upper pressure). The last beat heard through the stethoscope indicates the diastolic number (lower pressure).

The results obtained should be recorded regularly. They will be useful to the doctor in the process of monitoring the development of pregnancy.

Traditional medicine methods

There are some folk methods to lower blood pressure while expecting a baby. But it should be remembered: in case of high pressure, it is necessary to consult a doctor. Some components of traditional medicine recipes can cause individual intolerance. If you decide to use "grandmother's remedies", it is better to consult a doctor.

The most popular recipes are:

1. Cranberry. It is necessary to take 100 grams of berries, squeeze out the juice from them, and pour the cake with water, put on fire and cook for five minutes. Then strain the broth, add 1.5 tbsp. l. semolina and boil again for ten minutes, put a couple of tablespoons of sugar, bring to a boil, remove from the stove. Add pre-squeezed juice and mix. Take this mixture should be 1-2 tablespoons three times a day.
2. Corn grits. It must be ground in a coffee grinder to make flour. One hundred grams of this raw material should be poured with one glass of boiling water and insisted for a day, stirring from time to time. Use this remedy 50 grams before meals.
3. Birch juice. This drink is recommended to drink one glass three times a day.
4. Beet juice. It is necessary to squeeze the juice from a fresh root crop and leave the liquid for half an hour. This drink in its pure form can be poorly tolerated by a pregnant woman. Better to dilute it with water. Take one hundred grams half an hour before meals.
5. Pumpkin. It is necessary to take 200-250 grams of this vegetable, cut into pieces, pour water and put on a small fire. Cook until it becomes soft. Then the pumpkin must be ground to a homogeneous mass and add honey to taste.
6. Massage. You can try to lower the pressure by performing a series of simple manipulations. On the midline of the abdomen, under the chest, there is a point on which you need to press with the fingers of both hands and hold for ten seconds. Then release for the same time and repeat the process. It is necessary to do such manipulations twice.

Pregnant women need to take care of their health. To do this, you should regularly visit a antenatal clinic and follow all the doctor's recommendations. This will prevent the occurrence of high blood pressure and its complications.