High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy

High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy Overview

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a common medical condition that affects millions of people worldwide, including pregnant women. High blood pressure occurs when the body’s blood creates a high pressure against the walls of the arteries, and it can lead to serious health complications if not managed properly.

During pregnancy, elevated blood pressure can cause problems for you and your baby because it can disrupt normal blood flow to the fetus and can slow the growth of the baby. Some women have high blood pressure prior to getting pregnant and others develop hypertension during pregnancy.

The experienced team at Hattiesburg Clinic is here to ensure you have a successful pregnancy with high blood pressure. We will keep a close eye on your blood pressure numbers for your health and the health of your baby.

What are the symptoms of high blood pressure during pregnancy?
What complications are associated with high blood pressure during pregnancy?
What is preeclampsia?
Choose Hattiesburg Clinic

What are the symptoms of high blood pressure during pregnancy?

Many pregnant women can have high blood pressure without experiencing symptoms. However, some of the warning signs can include:

Headaches

Blurred vision or other vision changes

Swollen feet, ankles, legs, face or hands

Sensitivity to light

Trouble breathing

A feeling of being unwell

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, call your OB-GYN or health care provider.

What complications are associated with high blood pressure during pregnancy?

Women with hypertension during pregnancy are at greater risk of:

Delivering prematurely

Having a low-birthweight baby

Having a baby admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)

Having a stroke

Developing heart disease, diabetes or high cholesterol

The good news is that it is possible for women with high blood pressure to have a safe pregnancy with specialized care from our experienced medical team at Hattiesburg Clinic. Whether you have pre-existing elevated blood pressure or it develops during pregnancy, your blood pressure will be reviewed at every prenatal appointment and we can also work to determine a healthy goal before pregnancy.

What is preeclampsia?

The risk of a condition called preeclampsia also increases with hypertension. Preeclampsia is a serious disorder that can affect all organs in your body and often develops in the third trimester. If untreated, preeclampsia can lead to heart disease, seizures, strokes and other serious complications.

A high blood pressure reading may be the first sign of preeclampsia, as well as urine tests to check for protein. If your OB-GYN has recommended you see a maternal fetal medicine specialist to be closely monitored, know that our care team has years of experiencing helping high-risk mothers and their babies through hypertension and preeclampsia.

Choose Hattiesburg Clinic

At Hattiesburg Clinic, we are proud to have the only board-certified perinatologist in the region, and we focus on providing safe and compassionate care for mothers affected by high blood pressure. We understand that high blood pressure in pregnancy and other high-risk conditions can be scary. Our maternal fetal medicine specialist is fellowship-trained in fetal medicine and is committed to giving you the attention you and your baby need from pre-conception through childbirth and postpartum recovery.

High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy