Pregnancy And Blood Pressure

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Pre-clampsia is a condition that can develop during pregnancy. It increases blood pressure and can affect the Brain, Liver, Kidneys and Placenta. This can result in premature births and growth problems for the baby.A symptom of Pre-clampsia is high blood pressure which will rise around the 5th month of pregnancy and will stay high to the birth.

If mild Pre-eclampsia is developed then there won’t really be any symptoms, it will normally be detected with routine blood and urine samples during your pregnancy check ups. If it is more advanced then there may be some of the following symptoms experienced: Harsh Headaches, Vomiting, Swelling of feet and hands, problems with Vision being blurred or even Blackouts.

If you experience any of these symptoms then it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have developed Pre-eclampsia but it is worth explaining them to your Midwife or Doctor so you can get checked out.

Because this condition raises the blood pressure  and can cause problems with the placenta, reducing blood flow to the baby. This results is the baby not receiving the right amount of oxygen and nutrients which can slow the growth of the baby.

You could also have high blood pressure when pregnant due to the fact that you had it before hand and it has only been picked up through routine check ups related to being pregnant. Some women also experience high blood pressure half way during their pregnancy that does not develop into Pre-eclampsia, but returns to normal when they give birth.

This is obviously a vast subject that I have only touched on and don’t pretend to be an expert in, but I would advise any women that are planning to have a baby to find out more about this subject. It would be beneficial for any woman that is planning a baby to have their blood pressure checked before they start to try for a baby.