Gestational hypertension, otherwise known as pregnancy induced hypertension, is a hypertensive condition brought about by being pregnant. The symptoms of high blood pressure during pregnancy are actually more noticeable than any other variety of high blood pressure. The problem with this condition is that, while the symptoms are indeed more noticeable, they are also very similar to normal signs and symptoms of pregnancy. This makes it easy to ignore the need for high blood pressure control measures, while dismissing the symptoms as merely another unpleasant aspect of being pregnant.
This condition is usually seen in pregnant women who did not have high blood pressure before they were pregnant but nevertheless are prone to the condition. Women who did have hypertension before their pregnancy must guard against malignant high blood pressure which may be a complication of the condition.
The symptoms of high blood pressure during pregnancy include problems with eyesight, such as hypersensitivity to bright lights, headaches, having the urge to urinate but yielding only smalls amounts, edema (usually in the face and other specific body parts), abdominal pain localized in the upper right side of the stomach or around the stomach, a noticeable increase in blood pressure reading, protein in the urine and seizures. These symptoms should not be ignored and the pregnant woman brought immediately to the hospital and checked by a doctor.
Treatment for mild cases of high blood pressure during pregnancy and the management of symptoms are dependent on how many months pregnant the woman is and the degree of gestational hypertension. Treatment for pregnancy induced hypertension may include taking some time out to rest (some doctors suggest bed rest), a low salt or salt free diet along with drinking lots of water, medication to strengthen the lungs of the unborn child and ease the delivery. The condition can be easily managed if the symptoms are on the mild side, but if preeclampsia is a possibility, the doctor may recommend delivering the baby early.
In most cases, you will want to avoid taking medication during pregnancy, so a healthier approach is to make some lifestyle changes to keep high blood pressure under control. If you don’t know where to start, I recommend that you take a look at a straightforward guidebook to treating the problem called Blood Pressure Truth. It will give you step by step instructions on making some relatively easy changes to your regular habits in order to get your blood pressure back where it belongs. These are all-natural techniques, so you can feel safe following them during pregnancy. Of course, you will want to check with your doctor first.
A case of high blood pressure during pregnancy should be monitored closely by the pregnant woman’s doctor to prevent any mishaps. Basically, the obstetrician should conduct tests to check if the pregnant woman has the condition or may be prone to it. Although it is not easy to prevent pregnancy induced hypertension, especially if the woman is prone to high blood pressure, this is one of the best avenues to a safe pregnancy and childbirth for both mother and child.
