Learn More About Your Pregnancy
High Blood Pressure and Preeclampsia
Q:
What are the risks to a baby if the mother develops high blood pressure?
Baby gets less oxygen and nutrients
Correct!
When a woman has high blood pressure in pregnancy it may cause less blood to flow to the placenta. Your baby receives less of the oxygen and nutrients it needs. This can cause the growth of your baby to slow down.
Baby gets too much oxygen
Incorrect!
When a woman has high blood pressure in pregnancy it may cause less blood to flow to the placenta. Your baby receives less of the oxygen and nutrients it needs. This can cause the growth of your baby to slow down.
High blood pressure a mother had before pregnancy
When a mother had high blood pressure before pregnancy, it is called chronic hypertension and needs to be managed because it can lead to health problems such as heart failure or stroke. During pregnancy, chronic hypertension may affect the growth of your baby. If you take medication to control your blood pressure, your health care provider will determine whether it is safe to continue during pregnancy.
High blood pressure a mother first gets during the second half of pregnancy
When high blood pressure first occurs during the second half of the pregnancy it is known as gestational hypertension. This type of high blood pressure goes away soon after the baby is born. You may need to see your health care provider more often to have your blood pressure checked.
Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is a serious medical condition affecting all organs of the body. Preeclampsia is gestational hypertension with additional findings. For example, preeclampsia causes stress on the kidneys, which results in increased amounts of protein in the woman’s urine. Other signs of preeclampsia may include:
- Headaches.
- Visual problems.
- Rapid weight gain.
- Swelling of the hands and face.
If preeclampsia develops, the only real cure is to have the baby. A mother with preeclampsia may need to stay in the hospital so that she and her baby can be monitored. In some cases the baby may be delivered early. The decision to deliver the baby depends on the risks to the woman and the baby. When preeclampsia becomes severe, the woman’s organs can be damaged, including the kidneys, liver, brain, heart, and eyes. In some cases, seizures will occur. This is called eclampsia.
