Pregnancy induced hypertension: symptoms and treatments

Pregancy induced hypertension, or preeclampsia, is high blood pressure that occurs during pregnancy. Learn more about the symptoms and treatment here.

Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH) is also known as Pre-eclampsia. In the past, it was often referred to as Toxemia. Basically, PIH is hypertension (high blood pressure) that occurs during pregnancy. It usually begins in the third trimester – the last three months of pregnancy – and is one of the most common causes of perinatal mortality. Perinatal mortality refers to the death of the mother and/or the baby (as fetus or newborn) so the condition can be quite serious.

Doctors don’t know what causes Pregnancy Induced Hypertension; however, there are some conditions that can predispose a woman to become ill with pre-eclampsia. African-American woman are more likely to have PIH than their Caucasian and even Latina counterparts. Women at the two extremes of the child-bearing age spectrum (under 18 and over 35) have an increased risk for this condition. PIH is most common in first pregnancies, and in multiple gestations such as twins, triplets and so forth. Malnourished women who don’t receive proper vitamins and nutrients, the obese, diabetics and those with chronic hypertension already are also much more likely to develop pre-eclampsia.

Other symptoms which may be indicative of pre-eclampsia are:

Severe headaches

Blood in urine

Rapid heartbeat

Dizziness

Slow-drip or lack of urine

Extreme nausea and/or vomiting (especially if you vomit up blood)

Fever

Blurred or double vision.

If you have any of these symptoms, you should contact your doctor right away.

The best treatment for pre-eclampsia, if your pregnancy has progressed far enough along, is delivery of baby. If that’s not possible due to the age of gestation, then there are several other treatment options available. These are:

*Bed rest, usually lying on your left side and limited movement.

*Reduce the amount of salt – and salty foods – from your diet.

*Taking aspirin, calcium supplements or a medication prescribed by your doctor. (It’s important to note that you should NOT take any medications during pregnancy without your doctor’s approval as they could harm the unborn baby!)

PIH is potentially quite serious as it can prevent the placenta, which provides your growing baby with nourishment and air, from getting all the blood that it needs to thrive. Babies born to mothers with PIH often have a lower birth weight.

In some cases, pre-eclampsia turns into eclampsia, which is a convulsive disorder. During the convulsions, the fetus is deprived of oxygen. Damage to or separation of the placenta may occur as well. HELLP Syndrome may also develop. This condition causes the destruction of red blood cells, liver damage and internal bleeding. HELLP is life-threatening to both mother and child and will most likely require hospitalization and strict monitoring.

If you have PIH, you will deliver early, most likely between 36 – 38 weeks of gestation. PIH patients are more likely to have a C-section (Cesarean) than those without the condition. However, vaginal births are becoming more and more common for women with PIH.

After delivery, you will probably notice a decrease in symptoms within a few hours. Blood pressure often returns to normal within a few days to a few weeks. In most of these cases, the newborn is born healthy. So, although PIH can be a scary prospect it is a very treatable – and usually temporary – condition.