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What is High blood pressure?

Blood pressure is the force of blood that pushes against the walls of your arteries. Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood away from your heart to other parts of the body. Each time your heart beats, it pumps blood to the arteries. If the pressure in your arteries becomes too high, you have high blood pressure and also called hypertension. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is defined as blood pressure greater than or equal to 130/80 mm Hg. The condition is a serious concern for some pregnant women. Sometimes cause severe health complications for both mother and developing baby. This can put extra stress on your organs and can lead to heart failure, heart attack, stroke and kidney failure.

Blood pressure reading categories:

• Normal: Less than 120/80.

• Elevated: When your systolic blood pressure (upper or first number in your reading) is between 120-129 and your diastolic pressure (lower or second number in your reading) is less than 80.

• Stage 1High blood pressure: This is when your systolic pressure is between 130-139 or your diastolic pressure is between 80-89.

• Stage 2 High blood pressure: This is when your systolic pressure is at least 140 or your diastolic is at least 90.

• Hypertensive crisis: When your systolic pressure is higher than 180 and/or your diastolic pressure is higher than 120. Call your doctor right away if your blood pressure is this high.

Complications in pregnancy Because of high blood pressure ?

Problems for babies include:

• Fetal growth restriction

• Premature birth

• Neonatal death

• fetal death

• Low birthweight

Problems for moms include:

• Gestational diabetes

• Kidney failure

• Heart attack

• Placental abruption, is a serious condition in which the placenta separates from the wall of the uterus before birth.

• Postpartum hemorrhage also called PPH, is when a woman has heavy bleeding after giving birth.

• Preeclampsia, is when a pregnant woman has high blood pressure and signs that some of her organs, like her liver and kidney may not be working properly.

High blood pressure in pregnancy control or manage by following steps:

• Even if you are feeling fine, go for prenatal care check ups.

• If doctor prescribed you medicine for high blood pressure, take it every day.

• Stay Active, being active 30 minutes a day, reduce your stress, weight.

• Eat healthy food, don’t eat eat food that are high in salt.

• Don’t smoke and drink alcohol.