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high blood pressure during pregnancy
Hi!
Do you have any suggestions for high blood pressure during pregnancy?
Thank you!
Jill Dean -
3 Replies
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Hey ,
Do you know if the high blood pressure was there before the pregnancy? Or are you sure that the high blood pressure started during the pregnancy? And if the high blood pressure started during pregnancy, do you know around what week the blood pressure started to increase?
There are different variations of high blood pressure caused by pregnancy. Pregnancy itself can increase blood pressure since the blood volume increases during pregnancy – especially with the first pregnancy. Having a twin can increase the risk of high blood pressure as well. Some people can have a genetic predisposition to get high blood pressure. In this case, you could ask if high blood pressure during pregnancy occurred in other family members.
If high blood pressure is present in combination with water retention, make sure she sees a doctor immediately.
Normal lifestyle factors can play a role as well of course. Low potassium can contribute to elevations in blood pressure as well as a magnesium deficiency, blood sugar imbalance caused by insulin resistance, obesity, smoking, alcohol, etc.
Having an idea of the cause of hypertension helps to make more targeted plans to reduce hypertension. I don’t know if any labs were measured as well. Usually, liver function tests and kidney health will be measured in these cases. Blood sugars and electrolytes might be measured as well. If any labs are there, sharing will help us to five more targeted pieces of advice.
An essential lab when blood pressure is elevated that I often recommend my clients do is a Red Blood Cell (RBC) Magnesium test. If a deficiency is present, high blood pressure can be the result. Make sure kidneys are in good health when you start increasing magnesium.
Hypertension could be caused by insulin resistance. With pregnancy from the third-trimester insulin sensitivity can decrease as well due to hormonal changes (this article goes in-depth about insulin resistance during pregnancy). If some insulin resistance was already present before the pregnancy, high blood pressure might become more visible during pregnancy. Here are some easy tips that can help you address insulin resistance during pregnancy:
• Make sure you walk at least 30 minutes daily.
• Swimming is another option that can help increase insulin sensitivity.
• Removing sugar and fast digestible carb sources from the diet can help as well.If emotional stress is at play then stress reduction can help as well. Setting boundaries and learning to say no can help. If she has a good support group, and this person feels like she has to do everything alone, accepting help might also be part of the solution. Other things that might help are journaling, meditation, grounding and even therapy can be part of a solution.
Do you know if she uses medications? Some medications can also contribute to elevations in blood pressure. If she does use medications, let us know so we can help provide better advice.
Here is a handout about the different causes of hypertension. Especially when hypertension was already present, this document can help you.
I know I have asked you some questions that can help us formulate better advice, but I hope these tips can help you give her some starter tips
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Hi,
Her blood pressure has been sitting around 135/76. So slightly elevated but not concerning. Is what she has been told. In answer to your questions. She has never had high BP it has always been spot on. We have been watching her BP and BS closely the past few days. Before pregnancy she was prone to hypoglycemia. Last week she started having black out spells. She hasn’t actually passed out but feels like she will if she moves to quickly. She went to the ER, they ran all test for blood clots, EKG and checked BP during movement. Her BP at the ER was 126/73. Her white blood count was 19 but everything else seemed to be in check. I am trying to find out if they checked her iron levels. Do you have any thoughts or suggestions of areas we may look further or labs that may be beneficial? She is 29 weeks. I just know western medicine likes to check the boxes then send you on your way. Thanks for any further insight or knowledge.
Jill Dean -
Hey @,
It’s very good you are measuring her blood pressure regularly. You might notice when measuring blood pressure, that the first measurements are often higher than when you measure a second and a third time. There are 2 main reasons for this:
1. The state of mind of the person who is measured can play an important role. Tension can easily impact blood pressure.
2. Sometimes the person who gets measured wasn’t at complete rest yet.When elevations are measured, I often measure a few times in a row and the last measurement is often the most representative of the blood pressure at rest. In her case, since she probably is concerned, it would be worthwhile to check her blood pressure a few times in a row to rule out if this hides low blood pressure.
Do you know if the blood pressure of 135/76 at the doctor’s place was measured only once? Where I come from (The Netherlands) they often wouldn’t remeasure if blood pressure was slightly elevated like this.
Mid Pregnancy Drop
I’m mentioning this, because, in the first 22 weeks, blood pressure often goes down (like I mentioned in my earlier response). This is called the mid-pregnancy drop, which can cause dizziness and fainting.Things to rule out
If complaints are getting worse I would advise measuring proteins in the urine by the treating physician. I would also like to check her kidney function (eGFR, creatinine and BUN). Likely this has already been done. If so, the results could help us find more clues to what is at play!Other things I would like to measure are her electrolytes and for sure I would like to have a complete differential of the white blood cells. My guess is that this has already been done. Again, sharing the results can help us help you.
I think measuring her iron is a good idea. To that list, I would add a full red blood cell differential as well including hemoglobin and MCV. In line with that, I would also like to know her B12, B6 and folate levels.
Some clues you can also find in her lifestyle. What do you know about her diet? Does she eat a lot of salt or processed foods? Does she eat a lot of fruits & vegetables? Is she vegan? And if so, what kind of vegan is she? If her diet is low on processed foods how do you assess her salt intake? Does she sweat a lot?
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