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Increased heart pressure during pregnancy. What to do about high blood pressure during pregnancy? High blood pressure at different stages of pregnancy

You need to check the pressure during pregnancy every day for all 9 months: the numbers that appear on the display of the tonometer largely determine the condition of the future mother and her baby.

Hormonal restructuring in the first months of pregnancy helps to reduce blood pressure (BP) - causes hypotension. Because of this, the expectant mother feels weakness, drowsiness, dizziness, ringing in the ears, suffocates when walking. Unpleasant sensations usually intensify in the morning.

Some women find out they are expecting a baby when they are examined for sudden fainting. Doctors consider such an episode to be no less a characteristic sign of pregnancy than an addiction to sour and salty foods and nausea, which is characteristic of early toxicosis. By the way, against its background, hypotension intensifies. It is unpleasant for mommy, but extremely dangerous for the baby!

With reduced pressure during pregnancy, blood circulation in the placenta is disturbed - placental insufficiency occurs. The baby, lacking nutrients and oxygen, begins to starve and suffocate. In no case should this be allowed - that is why it is so important to check the readings of the tonometer from the very beginning of pregnancy!

Your pressure should not fall below 100/60 and exceed 140/90. If this happens, see a doctor!

High blood pressure during pregnancy

In the second half of pregnancy, there is a tendency to high blood pressure. This is partly due to physiological reasons. An additional circle of blood circulation appeared in the body of the expectant mother, due to which the volume of circulating blood increased by half a liter by 19-20 weeks, and by a whole liter by 32-36 weeks!

As a result, the load on the heart has increased: it is forced to increase blood output by 40-50% and contract more often. The pulse, measured in a calm state, now reaches 80-90 beats (the norm is 70 0), and when the expectant mother is worried or actively moving, she generally jumps over a hundred. Do not worry, this is normal, as well as an increase in pressure by 5-15 mm compared to the numbers that were displayed on the display of the tonometer at the beginning of pregnancy.

Bigger difference? Beware! This happens with toxicosis of the second half of pregnancy. Its essence is that the fluid leaves the bloodstream into the tissues: swelling occurs, and the pressure drops. Then the body of the expectant mother turns on the emergency system of arterial stimulation.

But the higher the pressure in the vessels, the more liquid seeps out of them. Trying to normalize it in this way is like carrying water in a sieve: the more you pour, the more it flows out. This is extremely dangerous! A brewing problem needs to be identified as early as possible, before a vicious circle has formed yet.

Special pressure control

Future mothers from the risk group should carefully monitor the pressure. It includes those who had miscarriages or complications during a previous pregnancy, as well as women who are overweight, hormonal disorders, hypertension, neurocirculatory dystonia, diseases of the kidneys and other internal organs that complicate pregnancy.

In such cases, in addition to daily monitoring of blood pressure at home, the doctor may refer the pregnant woman to daily monitoring of arterial pressure - an hourly measurement with a portable device. It detects sudden jumps in this indicator during the day and night. This check is recommended to be done three times: the first time - in the early stages, to identify a tendency to hypotension, the second - at 24-28 weeks, when the likelihood of preeclampsia increases, the third - shortly before childbirth, to make sure everything is normal, there is nothing to worry about !

Is the pressure lower than it should be?

This sometimes happens at night. The expectant mother sleeps for herself and does not suspect that the pressure has fallen below the permissible level, and the baby is suffocating in her tummy. It is unlikely that anyone will come to mind on their own initiative to measure the pressure at 3 o'clock in the morning! So it turns out that you can’t track such hypotension otherwise than with the help of monitoring.

It is no less dangerous if a pregnant woman with a tendency to low blood pressure gets agitated in the antenatal clinic, and it jumps. The doctor writes her down in the category of hypertensive patients and prescribes antihypertensive drugs that reduce the already low blood pressure.

Is the pressure too high?

You need to see how long this condition lasts during the day and what it is connected with. If, in the total calculation, the rise in blood pressure lasts no more than 5-6 hours a day and is explained by physiological reasons (excitement, motor activity, reaction to stress or a magnetic storm), everything is in order: there is no need for antihypertensive therapy.

Checking blood pressure during pregnancy

For a daily check of the pressure of a future mother, a modern electronic tonometer is needed, which measures the pulse and blood pressure in automatic mode, remembering the indicators.

With old-style devices, firstly, you are tormented, and secondly, without the appropriate experience, you will most likely get the wrong result.

Advice: If you use an electronic tonometer, clearly follow all the requirements of the instructions. There are compact devices that measure pressure on the wrist and even a finger, which you can take on the road. But at home it is better to have a standard tonometer designed for the elbow bend: the smaller the artery on which blood pressure is determined, the less accurate the result.

  • When buying a blood pressure monitor, make sure that it is properly adjusted and checked for accuracy. From time to time, compare his readings with the results obtained on other devices used by a doctor, a neighbor, a pharmacist in a pharmacy.
  • Keep in mind: one blood pressure monitor is not enough to control blood pressure during pregnancy.

You need a floor scale to keep track of your weight gain (every pound you put on increases your blood pressure by one unit) and the ratio of fluid you drink to excrete (write it all down!). The difference should not exceed 200-300 ml!

How to measure pressure

The cuff, which is inflated with air, compresses the vessels, stopping the movement of blood through them. Then it is slowly lowered. At the moment when the pressure of blood in the brachial artery slightly exceeds the pressure in the cuff, the first portion will break through the obstacle and hit the walls of the artery below the “dammed” place, making a characteristic sound (the so-called Korotkoff tone), which can be heard with a phonendoscope.

The pressure in the cuff at this time is equal to systolic (upper). As the air comes out of it, more and more portions of the blood will begin to overcome the "dam". Eventually, the cuff will stop occluding the brachial artery even during diastole.

When the blood again flows through it in a continuous stream, and Korotkov's tones disappear. In this case, the readings on the display of the tonometer will correspond to the diastolic pressure. Always measure the pressure at the same time, preferably in the morning after sleep and in the evening. Never do this immediately after eating and physical activity - the result will be unreliable.

Do not try to fit the blood pressure monitor on the sofa or on your knees. Sit on the chair to the right of the table. Put the blood pressure cuff on your upper arm and fasten it so tightly that only one finger can pass between it and the skin. Is the result out of line? Don't panic - test yourself!

overpressure can be obtained on a fully functional tonometer, if before the measurement you:

  • drank coffee or strong tea. We ate a bar of chocolate, were where it was smoky;
  • took a breast elixir and other medicines based on licorice root, herbal neurostimulants (lemongrass, ginseng and eleutherococcus);
  • were nervous, “scrolling” unpleasant episodes in their heads. They waited a long time for their turn to the doctor;
  • walked quickly, afraid to be late for an appointment, carried a heavy bag, climbed the stairs;
  • reacted with internal tension to the hospital environment - psychologists call this "white coat syndrome".

Low pressure will be if you:

  • the cuff was poorly inflated, and it could not completely block the blood supply in the brachial artery;
  • let the air out of her too quickly;
  • put a standard cuff on a too thin arm;
  • did not sit as usual, but lay down when your pressure was measured.

At low pressure, at high pressure

At elevated pressure
  • Press with the pad of your right thumb on a point located deep in the occipital fossa (at the point where the spine is attached to the head). After counting to 10, stop exposure. Repeat the manipulation 2 times.
  • Mentally divide the back of the neck into 3 equal parts horizontally. Now find 3 paired points on the sides of the spine. At the same time, act on each pair with the pads of the thumbs of both hands - three times in succession, each time slowly counting to 10.
  • Find a point located along the midline of the abdomen just below the chest (it corresponds to the solar plexus). Press on it simultaneously with the index, middle and ring fingers of both hands, count to 10 and release. Repeat 10 times.
  • With your right hand, strongly squeeze and at the same time stretch the middle finger of your left hand, then vice versa.
  • Worried? Remember the anti-stress point in the center of the inner part of the chin. Massage with your index finger 9 times clockwise and 9 times counterclockwise.
Under reduced pressure
  • Act on the points in the middle of the groove between the nose and upper lip, in the center of the crease between the chin and lower lip, on the little finger at the root of the nail (immediately behind the periungual roller) from the side of the ring finger, on the index finger, too, at the root of the nail from the side of the middle finger. At the end, knead the tip of each finger in turn.

What lowers blood pressure?

Cranberry mousse

Effectively lowers blood pressure. Take 1/3 cup cranberries, rinse, squeeze the juice. Pour the cake with a glass of boiling water, leave on fire for 5 minutes, strain. Pour 1 tbsp into the decoction. semolina and cook for 20 minutes, stirring constantly. Then add 3 tbsp. sugar, bring to a boil and set aside.

Beat the mass with a mixer until light pink and thick mousse, gradually pouring in the cranberry juice extracted from the refrigerator.

Hypotensive juices (lower blood pressure)

Drink a glass of birch sap every day, and also reduce blood pressure by taking 2-3 times a day for ¼ - ½ cup of freshly prepared beetroot juice (before drinking, hold it for 2 hours in an open container) 30 minutes before meals.

Pumpkin broth with honey

Take 200 g of pumpkin, cut into pieces, simmer until soft, put on a sieve and cool, then add honey.

The pressure periodically changes in each person, the reasons can be our physical activity, emotional experience, and even food intake. In the normal state, a change in pressure in one direction or another goes unnoticed, and if it causes discomfort, it would be quickly regulated with the help of drugs, certain products, or simple actions.

However, during pregnancy, everything is more difficult. A change in pressure can seriously affect a woman's well-being and, most importantly, the course of pregnancy itself and the condition of the fetus.

In this article, we will talk about the dangers of raising and lowering blood pressure during pregnancy, what are the causes of blood pressure disorders, and how you can deal with such a problem. But first, let's find out how to measure pressure correctly, and what factors can cause an inaccurate result.

How to measure pressure during pregnancy

Today there are models with the function of storing the results, which will help you easily track the dynamics of changes in blood pressure. Useful on the road compact blood pressure monitor, which measures pressure on the wrist or finger. However, for home use, you should choose the regular one, as it gives more accurate results because it measures the pressure in the largest possible artery.

You can see how to measure pressure correctly, as well as how to use a mechanical tonometer, in the video at the end of the article.

How often

It is advisable for a pregnant woman to measure blood pressure everyday, and if there is any doubt that you are all right, then several times a day. The fact is that at a gynecologist's appointment, pressure indicators may be inaccurate, given the fact that a woman can get excited or get tired in line. Daily pressure monitoring will help you keep a "hand on the pulse", literally and figuratively, clearly understanding your condition and immediately noticing changes.

How

It is necessary to sit to the right of the table, place a tonometer on its surface. Put your hand on the table as well, your back should rest on the back of the chair - no effort or tension, you need to relax and sit still.

Fasten the cuff on the shoulder so that a finger fits between it and the arm - no more. Next, carefully follow the instructions for using your tonometer.

What time

During pregnancy, it is advisable to measure the pressure 2 times a day - in the morning, after sleep, and in the evening. Choose some specific hours and take measurements every day at the same time.

You must remain calm, not worry. You can not measure the pressure after eating or physical activity - the results will not correspond to the real level of blood pressure, so it is better to wait about an hour. In addition, a number of factors can significantly affect the pressure level, consider them when preparing for measurements, otherwise you risk getting an unreliable result.

Increase blood pressure in pregnant women:

  • physical activity: climbing stairs, heavy bags, brisk walking, exercise;
  • emotional state: worries, worries, negative emotions, stress, quarrels;
  • drinks and foods: well-known pressure stimulants, such as coffee, strong tea, dark chocolate;
  • smoking or forced stay in a "smoky" room;
  • taking herbal preparations, which include licorice root, ginseng, lemongrass or eleutherococcus.

Underestimated results are usually given by incorrect measurement, namely:

  • the cuff is not inflated enough to cut off the blood supply to the artery. The same effect can be if a woman's arm is too thin, and it is impossible to wrap it tightly with a standard-sized cuff;
  • early deflation, when the device has not yet received final results;
  • measurement of pressure in the supine position, not sitting.

Pressure during pregnancy: norm and pathology

Low pressure

The changes taking place in the body of the expectant mother also affect the level of pressure.

Absolutely normal is a slight decrease in pressure during pregnancy in the early stages. Often, women even faint, which, by the way, is considered one of the first signs of pregnancy, along with changes in the mammary glands and nausea. Low blood pressure in early pregnancy is accompanied by symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, dizziness, especially when a woman gets up abruptly.

Closer to the second trimester, the pressure should return to normal and not fall below 100/60. If this does not happen, or low pressure even in the first months manifests itself very sharply, you need to see a doctor.

We have prepared an article entirely dedicated to low blood pressure during pregnancy. About why the level of blood pressure drops, and how a pregnant woman can raise her blood pressure

High blood pressure

As a rule, an increase in pressure in pregnant women is observed from the second half of pregnancy. The fetus is rapidly increasing in size, the load on the heart and the entire body of the mother increases. This physiologically justified state must be carefully monitored, because it is likely that the body will not be able to cope with such a volume of work.

Risk group

Particular attention to pressure should be paid to women who are at risk. They definitely need to use a tonometer every day, even if there are no visible reasons for concern.

Low or high blood pressure during pregnancy should be wary of expectant mothers who:

  • have suffered miscarriages or experienced complications during previous pregnancies;
  • are overweight or underweight;
  • have hormonal disorders;
  • suffer from diseases of the kidneys or other organs, neurocirculatory dystonia.

And, of course, you need to be on your guard for women who suffered from hypo- or hypertension before pregnancy. First of all, they need to inform the doctor about this even when registering for pregnancy. The doctor will advise drugs to maintain an acceptable level of blood pressure and will conduct pregnancy under special control.

During pregnancy, women often experience drops in blood pressure (BP), which negatively affects her well-being and the development of the baby. That is why the measurement of blood pressure should be of a regular nature, and it is desirable to measure it not only in the conditions of the antenatal clinic, but also at home. Timely detection of deviations in blood pressure indicators from the norm in a pregnant woman will prevent the development of serious complications against this background.

During gestation, all organs and systems of a pregnant woman have to function in a double mode, which is accompanied by an excessive load, especially on the cardiovascular system (the volume of blood pumped by the heart increases). At the beginning of pregnancy, blood pressure indicators, as a rule, on the contrary, decrease, the body itself needs this when forming new vascular branches. Usually this condition develops against the background of hormonal changes under the action of hormones.

It should be noted that high pressure can occur both during the bearing of a child, and already be elevated before the start of this process. In the latter case, we should talk about chronic hypertension; during pregnancy, special attention and caution is paid to hypertensive women.

Experts talk about arterial hypertension if the blood pressure in a pregnant woman exceeds the level of 140/90 mm. rt. Art. However, in hypotensive women, before conceiving a child, hypertension can be observed with blood pressure indicators that are considered normal in ordinary people. Hence, every woman should know how to "Our Father" her normal pressure.

High blood pressure during pregnancy, what is the danger?
An increase in blood pressure during childbearing does not bode well for either the fetus or the woman. All this is explained by the fact that in this state a narrowing of the walls of blood vessels occurs in a woman, as a result of which the fetus does not receive the necessary substances and oxygen. The result of all this can be a slowdown in the growth and development of the fetus. In addition, in such a situation, the likelihood of developing congenital pathologies and neurological disorders increases. Increased pressure during the period of bearing a child is a serious danger, as it can lead to premature detachment of the placenta. The latter, in turn, is always accompanied by profuse blood loss (bleeding), which threatens the life and health of the mother and fetus.

Causes of high blood pressure during pregnancy:

  • the presence of a genetic predisposition (hypertension in the family);
  • the presence of bad habits (alcohol, smoking, even during gestation);
  • being in constant stressful conditions, regular overvoltage;
  • violation of the functioning of the thyroid gland and adrenal glands;
  • the presence of diabetes;
  • unbalanced diet, the predominance of salty and smoked foods in the diet;
  • physical inactivity (a sedentary lifestyle, low physical activity);
  • obesity.
Symptoms and signs of high blood pressure during pregnancy:
  • frequent, long lasting headache;
  • nausea;
  • dizziness;
  • blurred vision;
  • redness of the skin on the face and décolleté;
  • pain in the abdomen.
If the above symptoms occur, it is important for a woman in position to immediately contact a specialist who leads her pregnancy. You can't slow down in this situation.

Complications of high blood pressure during pregnancy.
If high blood pressure is a constant companion of a woman before pregnancy, that is, in ordinary life, then when planning a conception, she definitely needs hypertension therapy with an individual selection of drugs, which can also be taken in the future in the process of gestation in order to avoid miscarriage or other consequences and complications. Arterial hypertension, observed in parallel with a complicated form of vascular pathology, and also proceeding according to a crisis type (increases to maximum levels) is a serious argument in favor of artificial termination of pregnancy, regardless of the term, since there is a threat to the life of the mother.

Stably high pressure during the period of bearing a child can cause the development of such a dangerous complication as preeclampsia, which is fraught with edema, excess fluid in the tissues and the appearance of protein in the urine. If this condition remains for a long time without adequate correction, then another terrible complication of pregnancy soon develops - preeclampsia. The woman's condition worsens, visual disturbances, dizziness, headaches, and mental disorders join swelling and pressure. Experts still cannot fully name the reasons for the development of preeclampsia in this situation, however, most tend to believe that this condition occurs against the background of an increase in the body's production of substances that constrict blood vessels and a decrease in the production of substances that dilate blood vessels. However, these are not the only factors that lead to the development of preeclampsia. It is important to know that pre-eclampsia can provoke (although this is very rare) a very serious disease - eclampsia, in which a woman has convulsions, and often coma. That is why it is important for pregnant women to constantly monitor their pressure and in case of unpleasant symptoms and signs, report it to the doctor.

Prevention of high blood pressure during pregnancy.
Regular visits to the antenatal clinic and, accordingly, the doctor, will allow you to timely diagnose fluctuations in the level of pressure and take appropriate measures. To prevent a high rate of blood pressure during the bearing of a baby, it is recommended to eat properly and balanced, completely exclude foods that promote thrombosis (salty, fatty, sweet, smoked) from your diet. All this must be replaced with fresh vegetables and fruits, herbs, low-fat dairy products. It is advisable to cook food for a couple, eat boiled, baked or stewed. In addition, doctors recommend moderate physical activity, regular walking in the fresh air, if there are no contraindications, you can go swimming. Also, with increased pressure, women in position are recommended to engage in meditation, acupuncture. And, of course, to give up bad habits.

Treatment of hypertension during pregnancy.
Therapy of hypertension in pregnant women is carried out first by non-drug methods on an outpatient basis. This includes diet, physiotherapy, drinking regimen. If preventive measures and non-drug methods did not help, and the pregnant woman has a high blood pressure, against which her condition becomes worse every day, then usually the woman is admitted to the hospital long before the birth process, where they select an effective antihypertensive therapy and monitor the course of pregnancy. As a means of drug therapy, drugs that are as safe as possible for the development of the baby, such as Nifedipine, Metoprolol, Papazol, Dopegit, Hydralazine and others, are used. The choice of the drug, its dose and duration of administration is carried out by the doctor, taking into account the results of the tests of the pregnant woman. Remember, you can not self-medicate in this situation, prescribe medications for yourself. This is especially true of diuretics, which sometimes some women are addicted to relieve swelling. Only during gestation it is strictly forbidden to do this. This group of drugs reduces the amount of circulating blood, which can cause a slowdown in embryonic development.

Folk remedies to reduce pressure during pregnancy.
Folk remedies are effective as preventive methods, but not the treatment of hypertension. These recipes will be an excellent addition to the therapy prescribed by your doctor. Before using this or that remedy, it is important to always consult a doctor, as well as be examined for the presence of individual intolerance to the components that are present in the formulations of these recipes.

One of the most effective and popular remedies in folk medicine that reduce blood pressure is cranberry. From a well-washed berry (half a glass), juice should be squeezed to the maximum. Set the juice aside, and the cake must be poured with a small amount of boiling water and kept on low heat for five minutes. Then strain everything, put it on the stove again, add three teaspoons of semolina as it boils. Boil the mixture for fifteen minutes, stirring regularly. After that, add four tablespoons of sugar, wait until it boils and remove. The resulting porridge must be whipped using a blender, gradually introducing cranberry juice. Use the resulting remedy at high pressure, three teaspoons three to four times a day.

Corn grits can also help women lower their blood pressure. This cereal should be pre-ground in a mill to the state of flour. Take half a glass of such flour and add 200 ml of warm water to it. Mix preferably in a glass container with a screw-on lid. The mass should be insisted for a day in a cool and dark place, after which it is ready for use. As a blood pressure lowering agent, it can be taken daily fifteen minutes before meals twice a day, two tablespoons each.

If the blood pressure before conception was within the normal range, most likely within a year after the birth of the baby, they will become the same. Otherwise, it will be necessary to talk about chronic hypertension, that is, the pressure will still be high after delivery. In such a situation, the doctor will prescribe the optimal therapy to maintain blood pressure in the normal range.

  • pain in the head, intense or not very;
  • ringing in both ears or only one;
  • blurred vision, flickering "flies" before the eyes and other problems with the visual apparatus;
  • increased sweating, even if it is not very hot in the room or on the street where the woman is located;
  • problems in the work of the heart, doctors diagnose tachycardia.

Depending on how high the pressure during pregnancy is in each case, the indicators may change, the symptoms may be weaker or stronger.

Reasons for this phenomenon

An increase in pressure is a fact that is most characteristic of the second half of pregnancy, i.e. after 20 weeks. The weight of the fetus increases, the overall load on the female body increases, so this is quite understandable. In some, an increase in pressure is possible at the very beginning.

Factors that increase the risk of hypertension in the early stages:

  • kidney disease;
  • pathology of the biliary tract;
  • diabetes;
  • problems in the functioning of the thyroid gland;
  • excess weight in a woman;
  • traumatic brain injury in history;
  • constant stress;
  • the mature age of the woman.

How to lower blood pressure at the beginning of pregnancy?

If the problem is not regular, it occurs periodically and its causes are not diseases of organs and systems, then normal indicators can be achieved by changing the diet. Before introducing new foods into the diet, it is worth consulting with a specialist who monitors the course of pregnancy.

Doctors recommend adding beets and juice from this vegetable, cranberry juice, pumpkin-honey decoction to food.

It is easy to prepare pumpkin broth with honey:

  • 200 g pumpkin cut into cubes;
  • put in a small saucepan;
  • are filled with water.

Pumpkin slices should be boiled until tender, and then put a little honey in a container.

The diet should be made in such a way that the main share is made up of vegetable, seasonal products and greens.

If a woman has no contraindications, such as gastritis, stomach ulcers and other gastrointestinal pathologies, then you can drink cold hibiscus. This red tea also helps to slightly reduce blood pressure readings.

A woman in position should not give up physical activity. Moderate physical activity will only benefit. For example, you can go to yoga classes for pregnant women, just walk in the park or in the yard. For expectant mothers, swimming is also useful.

Preventive actions

Pressure surges during pregnancy are observed in those who lead an unhealthy lifestyle. If earlier the deterioration of well-being was not considered as something critical, then during the period of expectation of a child, it is worth thinking not only about your health, but also about the development of the fetus.

Nutrition plays an important role. The menu of a pregnant woman must be varied. A large proportion of the diet should be proteins. In addition, you need to eat regularly and in small portions. The ideal option is 4-6 times a day.

For those who feel that the pressure may drop, it is better to drink a cup of green or black tea in the morning. And sometimes it’s even worth making coffee or a drink from chicory.

Women who are at risk of high blood pressure should not drink such drinks. And such people should reduce the consumption of salty foods. It is better to refuse pickled tomatoes, cucumbers and other preparations that the body of a pregnant woman often requires - this will benefit the unborn child, and the woman will begin to feel lighter.

You need to sleep at night. In this case, the rest should take at least 8-10 hours. Only a full sleep is already a big step towards excellent well-being. Women who do not work and can afford to sleep during the day should not neglect this opportunity. Working pregnant women should definitely go for a walk at lunchtime before or after meals, and not be constantly in the office.

All this improves mood, improves muscle tone, promotes good blood circulation and metabolism. The woman as a whole will feel great, and pressure surges in this case will not be scary for her.