High Blood Pressure & Pregnancy

Clementine

First off, I am not looking for medical advice.

I've just started treatment for high blood pressure. The doctor told me about how I may have difficulties if I become pregnant, that I would have to be monitored closely and that I may have a premature baby. He mentioned lots of scary words like eclampsia.

I am not pregnant but had always hoped of having babies in the future with my partner. I am now quite freaked out!

A lot of what I've been reading about has been women developing high blood pressure during pregnancy. Does anyone have the experience of becoming pregnant while on blood pressure medication already? Were things as scary as my doctor said? And was it all worth it?

crazy cat lady

As long as your blood pressure is closely monitored and controlled during pregnancy you shoulg be ok!

Is it worth it? I had my lil girl 4 weeks ago and she's been worth every ache, pain, stretch mark and stitch!

Clementine

That's great thanks CCL! Did you go into your pregnancy on BP meds or did you develop problems during the pregnancy?

The doc was saying that as soon as I start to think about having a baby I'll hiave to change meds and be referred to National Maternity Hospital. It was a lot to be thinking about since I'm still in denial about being a grown up even!

crazy cat lady

No problems with my BP during pregnancy, but I'm a trained nurse and midwife so I know a bit about these things!

You're at a bit of an advantage knowing that you have problems with your blood pressure because at least you know it can be controlled. Women who develop blood pressure problems during pregnancy can go undetected between antenatal visits.

Every woman has a risk of developing pregnancy induced hypertension or pre-eclampsia. You would be more at risk having a pre existing blood pressure problem, but the risk is highlighted now so at least you can be more closely monitored.

The good news is that there are drugs that you can take during pregnancy which do not affect the developing baby and which are very effecteive in contolling blood pressure.

Before you try to conceive, maybe you could take a look at your lifestyle and see if there are any factors which you could change that might be causing you to have hypertension? Stressful job? Stressful family? Overweight? Other stressors in your life? Introducing an exercise such as yoga into your life might help to reduce your blood pressure.

You're obviously thinking about pregancy in the future, whether that be in the short or long term, so I would recommend that you start taking folic acid now. Removing stress from your life will also make conception a bit easier!

Hope this helps!

CCL

Clementine

Stressful job?

Have that under control, lovely job at the mo with very kind people.

Stressful family?

I limit my contact with them to stay stress free, haven't had an argument with them in over a year which is really good going

Overweight?

No, I'm a healthy weight for my height and age and have never had problems with weight. I have started a boards food diary to try and monitor my diet to keep an eye on cholesterol level.

Other stressors in your life? Introducing an exercise such as yoga into your life might help to reduce your blood pressure.

Life is pretty good at the moment. I just started yoga but missed last weeks class because I had a 24hr BP monitor on- wouldn't have been very nice to my classmates to be beeping and whirring away during the class!

Those are good things to keep in mind. I'm going to start taking folic acid, it's only sensible since I've had to come off the pill because of this. You never know what could happen!

crazy cat lady

Sounds like you're doing all the right things anyway!

I just wouldn't let it put you off pregnancy because of what some doctor said. Like I said, BP is very manageable and you're at an advantage because its already been detected!

Good luck with TTC!

Clementine

crazy cat lady wrote: »

Good luck with TTC!

:eek: Hopefully my partner won't see that!

It's a while off yet but I do like to be prepared, so many thanks for all the advice!

euromillions

Hi Clementine,

I had high blood pressure in pregnancy & was admitted to hospital at 31 weeks as baby wasn't growing due to the blood pressure. There I stayed till 37 weeks when labour was induced as Gynaecologist said baby would do better on the outside(eg.grow quicker)

Baby was born weighing 4 lbs but with no complications thank god.
She is now a happy & healthy 5 month old weighing 14ibs!

Clementine

Wow, that's a long time in hospital! Did you have to have a CSection? I'm glad it worked out for you. Were you in for check ups and tests very often because of the high bp?

euromillions

Ya it was a long time & it was the height of Summer too nearly went off my head.
Didn't need a section thank god but consultant said that small babies don't respond well to induction & if she got distressed that they would have to do an emergency section immediately. Thankfully it wasn't needed!!

Clementine

So it sounds like even if there had been distress you were under so much oservation and monitoring that it all would have been ok in the end anyway.

Thanks, very reassuring!

llester

Clementine wrote: »

First off, I am not looking for medical advice.

I've just started treatment for high blood pressure. The doctor told me about how I may have difficulties if I become pregnant, that I would have to be monitored closely and that I may have a premature baby. He mentioned lots of scary words like eclampsia.

I am not pregnant but had always hoped of having babies in the future with my partner. I am now quite freaked out!

A lot of what I've been reading about has been women developing high blood pressure during pregnancy. Does anyone have the experience of becoming pregnant while on blood pressure medication already? Were things as scary as my doctor said? And was it all worth it?

I had high blood pressure before I became pregnant, but didn't know about it. Therefore from the start of my pregnancy I was on Blood Pressure Tabs. I can't for the life of me remember the name of it now and it was only a year ago! lol, but it was a specific one for pregnant women. I was closely monitored all the way through the pregnancy, was with the doc and the hosp every week alternatively.

Anyhow, it kept my BP within normal levels the whole way through, up until 36 weeks it shot up, doc sent me into hosp straight away, where I stayed for 5 days with mild pre-eclampsia which wasn't settling, so they decided to induce me.

After the pregnancy it took 7 months to get my BP back down to an acceptable level, even now I am at hypertension stage 1, but I'm not on any meds. I have been told however that if I want another baby I have to go back to the BP clinic before I conceive so they can get me on the right meds again.

So the answer is if you're on BP meds and are planning to have a child, go visit your GP first and ask their advice on whether you should change your meds and they will guide you through. It is one of the most common issues with pregnancy and it is very easily treated.

Best of luck xx

Bethann

I am 33 and was diagnosed with high blood pressure about 10 years ago, since then I have been on medication to control it, I currently take Diovan (80 mg a day). Myself and my partner are thinking about having a baby and my main concern is the side effects of the medication on the baby.

I discussed it with my GP but in fairness his response did not instill any confidence in me - who would be the best person to get an informed opinion from does anyone know?? My GP said that I would have to come off my current medication and go onto another table (can't remember the name of this one) but how tested are these tablets in terms of side effects on the baby?????
Anyone know anything about this/has experienced it themselves??

Cat Melodeon

Bethann wrote: »

I am 33 and was diagnosed with high blood pressure about 10 years ago, since then I have been on medication to control it, I currently take Diovan (80 mg a day). Myself and my partner are thinking about having a baby and my main concern is the side effects of the medication on the baby.

I discussed it with my GP but in fairness his response did not instill any confidence in me - who would be the best person to get an informed opinion from does anyone know?? My GP said that I would have to come off my current medication and go onto another table (can't remember the name of this one) but how tested are these tablets in terms of side effects on the baby?????
Anyone know anything about this/has experienced it themselves??

If you don't have confidence in your doctor, move on to someone who can help you. Ask your GP for a referral to a pre-pregnancy clinic. There's one in the Mater, I don't know where else but I'm sure most maternity hospitals offer some sort of similar service.

cynder

Also on the premature side of things, my guy came 5 weeks early and i had no medical issues, my waters broke and a few hours later there he was. They had no time to give me a steroid injection to boost his lungs (needs to be given 24 hours before baby is born, to work), at least with people who are induced due to high bp have time to be given the steroid injections to boost babies lungs.

Best of luck....

You might be better off posting the question in the long term illness forum.