The blood pressure level is an important indicator of the well-being and condition of a pregnant woman. It is measured at each visit to the obstetrician-gynecologist during the entire period of bearing the baby.
What should be the pressure in expectant mothers in the norm and what to do if the values deviate from normal, we will tell in this material.
Standards
The indicators that are measured in pregnant women with a tonometer are called arterial or blood pressure. In fact, the force with which the blood presses on the inner walls of the blood vessels is determined.
The result is expressed in two numbers written through a fraction. The first number is the upper pressure or systolic Is an indicator of blood pressure at the time of tension of the heart muscle and its contraction. The second number is the so-called lower pressure or diastolic - This is an indicator of pressure at the time of relaxation of the heart.
The pressure level depends on the volume of blood that the heart pumps in a second. It can be influenced by the time of day, and the general well-being of a woman, and her weight, and psychological state.
If a woman is nervous, then the pressure rises. Food and drinks can affect blood pressure, for example, strong tea increases blood pressure, and medications that the expectant mother takes also affect the indicators.
During pregnancy, the woman's body works in a different mode, all organs and systems "work" at the limit of their capabilities to keep the baby and provide him with everything necessary for normal growth and development.
The blood pressure on the vessels of expectant mothers also depends on specific factors that are characteristic only of women in an "interesting position."
So, in the first trimester, a large amount of the hormone progesterone is produced in her body, which is necessary to preserve the embryo and create all the conditions for its development.
However, a side effect of this hormone is relaxation of the vascular walls. therefore in the first trimester, the pressure may be slightly reduced. It begins to increase in the period from 28 to 32 weeks, when the volume of the mother's circulating blood increases more than 2 times.
Permissible fluctuations are considered to be an increase in pressure in the first half of pregnancy by 5-15 mm Hg relative to the norm of systolic and by 5-10 mm Hg - diastolic pressure. In general, 120/80 pressure is considered normal.
Table of blood pressure norms adopted by WHO:
It is difficult to answer unequivocally what pressure a pregnant woman should have. In order to better understand what is happening with this most important indicator during the period of bearing crumbs, a woman should know what pressure is normal for her personally.
So, there are ladies who have "working", their own blood pressure is always in the range of 90 to 60 or 100 to 70. At the same time, they are cheerful, cheerful, feel good, and such hypotension will not be considered pathological.
In such hypotonic women, the rise in pressure to "almost normal" values, for example, up to 130 to 80, will be accompanied by signs of hypertension. And for a woman, for whom the norm is 120 to 80, such a slight increase in the level of upper pressure (by 10 mm Hg) will not cause any inconvenience.
Sometimes fluctuations in blood pressure are accompanied by symptoms such as headaches, nausea, dizziness, but often the pregnant woman does not even know that her blood pressure level is far from normal.
That is why doctors try to measure this indicator as often as possible, at every meeting with the expectant mother, and also recommend that women in a position do it on their own between visits to the antenatal clinic.
Reasons for the increase
The volume of blood flow increases in all women who are expecting a baby. But not everyone's pressure rises because of this. The occurrence of hypertension is influenced by many additional factors that automatically make a woman a member of a high-risk group:
- genetic predisposition, heredity;
- multiple pregnancy;
- obesity and large weight gain, extra pounds before pregnancy;
- the presence of diabetes mellitus, as well as gestational diabetes;
- diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- chronic kidney and liver diseases;
- habitual hypertension (in the absence of concomitant diseases);
- stress, long-term adverse psychological effects;
- irrational regime - insufficient sleep in time, an abundance of salty foods in the diet;
- the age of the expectant mother is more than 35 years old or less than 18 years old.
Reasons for downgrading
The decrease in pressure also has physiological reasons. So, nature has provided that in the 1st trimester of pregnancy there is no strong load on the vessels that have just formed - the vessels of the new organ - the placenta.
A natural decline is said if the fluctuation occurs within 10 millimeters of mercury. If in a woman with a normal pressure of 120 to 80, the blood pressure drops to readings of 90 to 60, then this is as alarming as the increase in the indicator. The reasons for hypotension can be as follows:
- a woman's sedentary lifestyle, when work or hobbies are associated with a long stay in one position, almost motionless;
- prolonged stress, anxiety, emotional distress;
- a condition of blood loss after bleeding or surgery;
- dehydration conditions;
- prolonged lack of sleep;
- malnutrition;
- cardiovascular diseases;
- peptic ulcer diseases of the digestive system;
- insufficient functioning of the thyroid gland;
- infectious diseases in the acute stage.
Dangers and risks
The greatest danger that lies in the increase in blood pressure during pregnancy is gestosis. With it, a woman usually has edema, and the presence of protein in the urine is recorded in the laboratory. Gestosis is dangerous for both the woman and her child. It can cause death of the mother and fetus.
High pressure creates spastic readiness of blood vessels, and spasms cause hemorrhages in various organs, including the brain. The likelihood of thrombosis and dehydration increases. The most formidable consequence is premature placental abruption and fetal death of the baby.
The statistics are disappointing - every tenth woman with mild gestosis gives birth ahead of schedule, sometimes the child is not yet ready for an independent life.
With an average gestosis, two out of ten women experience premature birth, and with a severe one, three or four expectant mothers of ten enter the maternity ward much earlier than the appointed time.
Long-term gestosis, which proceeds in a measured manner, without sudden pressure surges, often causes intrauterine oxygen deficiency, and the child develops hypoxia. The state of hypoxia leaves its mark on the mental and physical development of the baby, on his immunity.
High blood pressure is also dangerous during childbirth. It creates the threat of severe bleeding, great blood loss and even death of a woman. Therefore, a decision is often made to carry out a cesarean section ahead of schedule in order to save the baby and his mother.
If high blood pressure is not accompanied by the appearance of protein in the urine and edema, then there is no question of gestosis as such. Classical gestational hypertension is less dangerous, but it certainly harms the baby and mother, and requires intervention and assistance.
The danger of low pressure lies in the fact that during hypotension blood flows to the organs much more slowly and in smaller quantities. This is fraught with the development of oxygen starvation of both mother's tissues (brain, heart) and fetal hypoxia.
The expectant mother with low blood pressure has a higher risk of developing fetoplacental insufficiency, intrauterine growth retardation of the baby, the birth of a low-birth-weight baby, and the risk of early miscarriage or late premature birth increases.
Low pressure aggravates the course of toxicosis in pregnant women, and also indirectly affects labor forces - in women with pathologically low blood pressure during childbirth, weakness of labor forces often occurs, which leads to an emergency caesarean section. Recovery after childbirth in such mothers is slower, the risks of complications in the form of prolonged bleeding are higher for them.
Hypertension symptoms
A woman can guess about high blood pressure by some characteristic signs:
- headache, moreover, it increases with increasing pressure;
- a feeling of flashing before the eyes;
- attacks of sudden dizziness;
- feeling of rolling nausea, which in some cases may be accompanied by the onset of a gag reflex;
- noise in ears;
- red spots on the skin around the face, neck and chest.
Sometimes hypertension occurs without symptoms at all, and this is considered the most dangerous. The negative impact on the child can go unnoticed for a long time due to the lack of objective complaints.
Hypotension symptoms
The decrease in pressure, if it occurs gradually, also most often proceeds imperceptibly. But a sharp decline or decline is well below the normal level may be accompanied by the following symptoms:
- a feeling of heaviness in the head, aggravated by movement;
- increased sleepiness and feeling of weakness, fatigue;
- the appearance of shortness of breath, which becomes more pronounced even with a slight increase in physical activity;
- nausea and dizziness with a sharp rise from a horizontal position, as well as with a sharp change in the position of the body in space;
- episodes of loss of consciousness, fainting.
How to normalize blood pressure?
High
It is dangerous to independently decide on the choice of a method to normalize blood pressure during pregnancy. It is best to contact your healthcare professional.
To lower blood pressure values, complex treatment is usually prescribed, which includes lifestyle adjustments and medications. Folk remedies have their place in the treatment of high blood pressure. In most cases, doctors do not object to the use of some of them, especially since the choice of medications during pregnancy is very limited.
The best effect can be achieved only if the treatment is truly complex, and the woman follows all the doctor's recommendations.
If problems with increased blood pressure begin in the first trimester, doctors try to hospitalize the pregnant woman and treat her under round-the-clock supervision. From 28 weeks, when the pressure in most pregnant women rises, women with high blood pressure are also hospitalized.
In the 3rd trimester after 36 weeks, a woman can also receive a referral to the hospital for prenatal hospitalization, since doctors need time to bring her blood pressure level to a relative norm before childbirth or prepare for a planned caesarean section, which is not performed at 40 weeks, but for a couple of weeks earlier.
General recommendations for lowering blood pressure include compliance with the daily routine, a woman needs at least 8-10 hours of sleep at night and an hour and a half of sleep during the day.
It is necessary to limit the load on the nervous system, eliminate all stress factors, and limit heavy physical activity. An abundance of salt should be excluded from the diet, consuming no more than five grams of this product per day.
You should follow the drinking regime, do not drink a lot of fluids, but also do not allow dehydration.
An expectant mother with high blood pressure should take light walks in the fresh air. It is dangerous to take hot baths with high pressure, it is better to limit yourself to warm showers.
From folk remedies you can use natural fresh juices - carrot, lingonberry, cranberry, mountain ash, to eat hawthorn fruits, cook chokeberry jelly, brew herbal teas with chamomile, valerian, motherwort and lemon balm, as well as mint leaves and drink them warm.
As soon as the doctor diagnosed a woman with hypertension, she should get a useful device - a home tonometer, so that twice a day, in the mornings and evenings, she can measure the pressure on her own and write down the results in the following table:
It is important to measure the pressure on both hands, since the difference between the readings is in itself a reason to see a doctor. The completed plate must be taken with you to the next appointment so that the doctor can assess the dynamics of blood pressure and make a more accurate decision on the appointment or cancellation of drugs or the need for hospitalization.
If a pregnant woman, in addition to pressure, has other signs of gestosis - edema, then another sign should be made in which she can indicate daily, how much liquid was drunk and how much was released. This will help you understand how the kidneys are working and whether serious complications have begun.
The choice of medicines for high blood pressure for expectant mothers is very limited, most drugs with such an effect are very harmful for a growing child, teratogenic. Therefore, doctors try to prescribe only those few remedies that have already been tested by many years of medical practice.
If the pressure rises slightly, the woman will be prescribed drugs with a mild sedative effect - motherwort tablets, valerian, as well as natural drugs - "Persen" or "Novopassit". Good for minor hypertension "No-shpa"... It is prescribed at any stage of pregnancy in individual dosages.
Women in the first and second trimester, if no other measures help, are prescribed "Dopegit" in tablets. At a later date, reception may be recommended "Nifedipina".
In a hospital, the choice of medicines will be wider, under the supervision of a doctor, other medicines that are not recommended to be taken at home, as well as droppers with drugs that improve the condition of blood vessels and nutrition of cells and tissues, for example, with "Actovegin".
Low
If the pressure is slightly reduced, and the woman is feeling well, then doctors usually choose a waiting tactic. The expectant mother is recommended to drink hot sweet tea and eat a small piece of chocolate when the pressure drops.
Usually this allows you to normalize a slight decrease, for example, 100 to 50 or 90 to 50. If the decrease is significant or occurs abruptly, up to a fainting state, then a complex treatment is prescribed.
To increase blood pressure, folk remedies and medicines are also used. But first, as with high blood pressure, it is recommended to reconsider the lifestyle. Sleep should be sufficient in time (at least 9-10 hours at night and one and a half hours in the daytime). Walking is useful, you should move more, since a sedentary lifestyle only contributes to a decrease in blood pressure.
A woman with low pressure is contraindicated in abrupt standing up from a lying and sitting position; she should rise carefully, gradually. If you feel dizzy, you should lie down or sit down and slightly raise your legs, placing an ottoman or a large pillow under them, for example.
During gymnastics, which must be in the daily life of a pregnant woman, you should not do exercises related to body turns and bends.If blood pressure is low, it is best to sleep with the window open, providing constant access to fresh air. By the way, daytime walks should be long enough - at least an hour.
It is useful for expectant mothers with hypotension to go in for swimming, it will be good if a woman can sign up for water aerobics courses near her home.
Eating with reduced blood pressure should be complete, rich in proteins, carbohydrates and healthy fats, as well as vitamins and minerals. Pregnant be sure you should start taking multivitamin complexes, designed specifically for expectant mothers, if she has not done this before.
You can quickly raise the dropped pressure by taking a contrast shower, as well as mastering a simple acupressure massage. It consists in circular movements of the index fingers clockwise at two strategically important points - in the center between the upper lip and nose, and also in the center between the lower lip and chin.
When experimenting with a shower, you should not set the water temperature so that the contrast is too pronounced, this can provoke the threat of termination of pregnancy, increased uterine tone.
Medicinal plants that can be used to make tea to increase blood pressure are found everywhere. As a last resort, you can buy them at any pharmacy. This, for example, rose hips (fruits and flowers). Tea from it, brewed in a thermos, can be taken 3-4 times a day in small portions in a warm form. The main thing is that it is not too strong.
From other folk remedies, raspberries and currants are used to increase pressure. Berries can be eaten in their pure form, or you can make jam or compote from them.
Honey, walnuts, dried fruits are useful. But the advice is to eat more salty, since salt increases the pressure, you should not rush to perform. Really, salt increases blood pressure on the walls of blood vessels, but it also causes swelling, and this is completely undesirable for a woman in an "interesting position."
Medicines to increase blood pressure are prescribed by a doctor when none of the above methods helps or attacks of falling blood pressure have become very frequent.
All drugs that can increase blood pressure theoretically pose a danger to the placenta, because they act in about the same way - narrowing the lumen of the blood vessels. Therefore, drugs are an extreme measure, when the risk from their exposure becomes less than the risk of losing pregnancy due to low blood pressure.
A drug is used to provide urgent care "Cordiamin" in drops. However, it is only suitable for emergency care, and cannot be a means for permanent use. For longer use, lemongrass, tincture of Eleutherococcus and Pantocrinum are recommended.
Women with pathologically low blood pressure should also take independent measurements of the blood pressure level on both hands twice a day, the data is entered into a table and must be shown to the doctor at the next appointment.
A woman with low blood pressure will have to register with a neurologist, these are the recommendations of the Ministry of Health. But expectant mothers with such a problem are less likely to be hospitalized than women with high blood pressure.
Most cases of hypotension can be treated at home, in the usual conditions for the expectant mother. Only those women are sent to the hospital for whom the pressure surges downward are too sharp and are accompanied by fainting.
For what you need to know about blood pressure during pregnancy, see the next video.
