High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy

If you are pregnant, high blood pressure can cause problems for you and your unborn baby. You may have had high blood pressure before you got pregnant. Or you may get it once you are pregnant - a condition called gestational hypertension. Whichever you have, it can cause low birth weight or premature delivery of the baby. Serious cases may develop preeclampsia, a sudden increase in blood pressure after the 20th week of pregnancy. It can be life-threatening for both you and the unborn baby.

Treatments for high blood pressure in pregnancy may include close monitoring of the baby, lifestyle changes and certain medicines. For preeclampsia, early delivery of the baby may be necessary.