What is blood pressure?

Blood pressure is the pressure in the blood vessels in your body. It is the force with which the blood
moves through the blood vessels. Doctors and nurses measure blood pressure by putting a cuff around
your upper arm. Then they listen to your blood flow with a stethoscope. High blood pressure (also
called hypertension) occurs when your blood moves through your blood vessels at a higher pressure
than normal.

What are the different types of high blood pressure during

pregnancy?
There are three types of high blood pressure in pregnant women:
Chronic hypertension: High blood pressure that develops before the 20th week of pregnancy
or is present before the woman becomes pregnant. Sometimes a woman has high blood pressure
for a long time before she gets pregnant, but she doesn't know it until her first prenatal checkup.
Gestational hypertension: Some women just get high blood pressure near the end of
pregnancy. They don't have any other associated symptoms.
Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), also called toxemia or preeclampsia: This condition
can cause serious problems for both the mother and the baby if left untreated. PIH develops
after the 20th weeks of pregnancy. Along with high blood pressure, it causes protein in the
urine, blood changes and other problems.

What are the risks of PIH to the baby and me?

PIH can prevent the placenta (which gives oxygen and food to your baby) from getting enough blood.
If the placenta doesn't get enough blood, your baby gets less oxygen and food. This can cause low birth
weight and other problems for the baby.
Most women who have PIH still deliver healthy babies. A few develop a condition called eclampsia
(PIH with seizures), which is very serious for the mother and baby, or other serious problems.
Fortunately, PIH is usually detected early in women who get regular prenatal care, and most problems
can be prevented.

What are the symptoms of PIH?

If you have any of the following symptoms of PIH, call your doctor right away:

Severe headaches
Vomiting blood
Excessive swelling of the feet and hands
Smaller amounts of urine or no urine
Blood in your urine
Rapid heartbeat
Dizziness
Excessive nausea

Ringing or buzzing sound in ears

Excessive vomiting
Drowsiness
Fever
Double vision
Blurred vision
Sudden blindness
Pain in the abdomen (tummy)

Who is at risk for PIH?

PIH is more common during a woman's first pregnancy and in women whose mothers or sisters had
PIH. The risk of PIH is higher in women carrying multiple babies, in teenage mothers and in women
older than 40 years of age. Other women at risk include those who had high blood pressure or kidney
disease before they became pregnant. The cause of PIH isn't known.
PIH: How your doctor treats this condition depends on how close you are to your due date and how
you and your baby are doing. The only treatment that stops PIH is to deliver the baby. If your baby is
born very early, it may have serious health problems. But your doctor may want your baby to be
delivered early if you or the baby are very sick. If your doctor thinks it is safe for the pregnancy to
continue to full term, he or she will monitor you and your baby very closely until delivery. You will see
your doctor often and get blood tests. Your baby will also get some tests to make sure he or she is
healthy. You might need to stay home from work and rest in bed. In some cases, hospitalization may be
necessary.
PIH: High blood pressure is not the main problem, but it is one of the main signs of this health
condition. PIH can cause headaches, blurred vision, vision loss, abdominal pain and dizziness. It can
cause slow growth of the baby, low birth weight and premature delivery. If you get PIH with seizures
(called eclampsia), you and your baby are at risk of dying. Many doctors give magnesium sulfate to
their patients during labor and for a few days afterward to help prevent eclampsia. Talk to your doctor
about these things