Pregnancy-induced hypertension may occur some time after the 20th week of pregnancy. It goes away soon after the baby is born. With PIH, high blood pressure and other problems are present. Women with chronic hypertension are at increased risk of developing PIH. According to ACOG technical bulletin (Number 219 January 1996), hypertension is defined as a sustained blood pressure to levels of 140 mmHg systolic or 90 mm Hg diastolic. Systolic is the top number in the blood pressure reading and diastolic is the bottom number in the blood pressure reading.
Pregnant women should be aware of the symptoms of PIH. They are not always easy to detect. A pregnant woman could have PIH for weeks and not know it. The serious risks of high blood pressure in pregnancy can be decreased if it is found and treated early. The only way to detect PIH is to measure the blood pressure regularly.
If you notice any of these symptoms, you should call your midwife or doctor right away:
-A sudden weight gain of more than about one pound a day -Swelling (edema) of the face and hands -Severe or constant headaches -Blurred vision or spots in front of the eyes -Pain in the upper right part of the abdomen
In a healthy pregnancy, the fetus receives from the mother all of the nutrients and oxygen it needs for normal growth. This happens when the correct amount of the mother's blood flows through the placenta and the nutrients and oxygen pass through the umbilical cord to the baby.
When a woman has high blood pressure in pregnancy, it may cause less blood to flow to the placenta. This means that the fetus receives less of the oxygen and nutrients it needs. This causes the growth of the fetus to slow. Thus, the growth and health of the fetus may be checked using ultrasound and electronic fetal monitoring.
