The risks of hypertension in pregnancy

Pregnancy-induced hypertension, or otherwise known as pre-eclampsia, is a very serious condition because it can in some cases develop into eclampsia, which is sometimes life-threatening. Women affected by eclampsia often have seizures which can be fatal for both the mother and the baby.

Pregnancy-induced hypertension or PIH is a form of high blood pressure in pregnancy. It only occurs in 5 to 8 per cent of pregnancies, in other words it is quite rare. It normally occurs with young women in first pregnancy, and a woman who suffers from it might or might not be affected by the condition again in later pregnancies.

The causes of PIH are unknown. There are some conditions that may make it more likely for a woman to develop PIH in pregnancy. These are namely preexisting high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, young age and multiple featuses.

Pre-eclampsia might strike suddenly. The likelihood is that you have an uneventful beginning of the pregnancy and then around week 20 your blood pressure stars to ascend. The other symptoms that doctos look out for are protein in urine, brisk reflexes, edema (swelling, especially of ankles), headaches that last longer than twenty-four hours and do not go away even if you take painkillers and bright spots in front of your eyes or blurred vision. Other symptoms include sudden weight gain, nausea, vomiting, and right-sided upper abdominal pain or pain around the stomach. It is very important to contact your doctor if you suspect pre-eclampsia. Often, you need to be hospitalized or if not hospitalized at least monitored very closely.

I developed high blood pressure around week 26, and was in and out of hospital until my baby was born around week 35. After the birth my symptoms miraculously disappeared which normally happens in pre-eclampsia. I had to go to hospital for blood pressure checks at least twice a week, and my baby was closely monitored. My baby's growth slowed down and I was induced. It was important to monitor my and my baby's condition because pre-eclampsia can in some cases be fatal both to the mother and to the baby.