| High blood pressure (medical term is hypertension) is a | | | | with hypertension, developed preeclampsia during the |
| serious health problem for both men and women, but | | | | early stages of a previous pregnancy, are obese, |
| unlike men, three out of four women actually know | | | | under age 20 and over age 40 when pregnant, |
| they have it - that is the good news. The bad news is | | | | expecting more than one baby, has been diagnosed |
| less than one in three will take the necessary steps to | | | | with kidney disease, scleroderma, lupus, diabetes or |
| control their blood pressure. | | | | rheumatoid arthritis. |
| Although many women who have blood pressure | | | | Preeclampsia is not easy to detect, there are no |
| problems have healthy babies, A hypertensive | | | | precise tests that will pinpoint the problem. Instead, |
| pregnancy poses a serious risk. Pregnant women who | | | | doctors must rely on signs and tests that seem to |
| have uncontrolled hypertension may have critical | | | | indicate the possibility of toxemia of pregnancy. |
| issues develop during the pregnancy that may affect | | | | Unfortunately, these same signs could be associated |
| the mother and fetus. These problems may be | | | | with other diseases or even with healthy pregnancies |
| prevented or lessened by discussing them with the | | | | so working closely with a physician becomes |
| doctor before pregnancy. If the high blood pressure of | | | | extremely important. The physician will look for the |
| the mother is chronic, steps can be taken to help | | | | important signs of increased blood pressure and |
| lessen the complications that may develop during the | | | | "proteinuria" which basically is protein in the urine. They |
| pregnancy. Pregnant or not, the important first step is | | | | will also look at symptoms which may include |
| to get the blood pressure under control. | | | | persistent headaches, sensitivity to light and/or blurred |
| Sometimes, problems will develop during the course of | | | | vision, and complaints of abdominal pain. |
| the pregnancy, this is known as "gestational | | | | Women who have high blood pressure and want to |
| hypertension". The problems associated with | | | | become pregnant can reduce or lessen the |
| pregnancy and hypertension range from mild to | | | | complications associated with high risk pregnancy by |
| severe and should be taken very seriously. The | | | | making lifestyle changes such as: |
| kidneys and other organs of the mother may be | | | | 1. Controlling hypertension through changes in diet, |
| harmed by the increased blood pressure. The fetus is | | | | reducing daily salt or sodium intake, adding exercise to |
| also affected with a low birth rate and potential early | | | | lose weight and learning stress management |
| delivery. The most serious cases cause the mother to | | | | techniques. |
| develop a complication called "preeclampsia" also | | | | 2. Have a heart-to-heart talk with your doctor to find |
| known as "toxemia of pregnancy". This particular | | | | out how your hypertension may affect you and your |
| complication is a life-threatening situation for both the | | | | baby and what you must do to protect yourself - then |
| mother and fetus. | | | | do it! |
| Preeclampsia is a condition brought about by the | | | | 3. If you take medicines for your high blood pressure, |
| increase in the mother's blood pressure and protein | | | | ask your physician if you will need to make any |
| found in the urine. The protein in the urine is the result | | | | changes either in the medication itself, or the dosages. |
| of her kidney problems brought about by the | | | | There are some blood pressure medications that |
| hypertension. Toxemia of pregnancy generally | | | | should not be taken during a pregnancy. |
| develops after the 20th week and not only affects the | | | | 4. NEVER take yourself off your medications without |
| mother's brain, liver and kidney, but it also affects the | | | | your doctor's consent. NEVER change the dosage |
| placenta. Thus, the complications from toxemia of | | | | without your doctor's consent. |
| pregnancy not only include premature birth and low | | | | 5. Check with your physician before taking any |
| birth weight, but also stillbirth. | | | | over-the-counter medications since there are |
| "Toxemia of pregnancy" may also cause seizures in | | | | ingredients in some products which may directly affect |
| the mother and when this happens, it is called | | | | a developing fetus and the health of the mother. |
| "eclampsia". In the United States, these seizures are | | | | In a hypertensive pregnancy, regular prenatal care is |
| the second leading cause of death of the mother. | | | | essential for the health of the mother and fetus. It goes |
| There is no way to prevent preeclampsia and the only | | | | without saying that a pregnant women should not drink |
| cure is to deliver the baby. It is critical for women who | | | | or smoke while she is pregnant. |
| have a problem with hypertension to talk to their | | | | There may be many situations that cannot be |
| doctor before they get pregnant, or, as soon they find | | | | controlled during a pregnancy, but those that can be |
| out they are pregnant. | | | | controlled should be controlled for the health of the |
| The following women may be at risk of developing | | | | mother and baby. |
| "Toxemia of pregnancy": women previously diagnosed | | | | |