Hypertension is the most likely conditions during pregnancy, although its cause-why some ladies become hypertensive while others don't-is still an enigma for the doctors.



Yet high blood pressure in pregnancy calls for careful supervision because the doctor has to consider risk to both the mother and the unborn baby. For most women mild high blood pressure is not a problem. They comfortably cope with it. But effect of pregnancy on women with high blood pressure is generally a matter of great concern for the doctors normally in the first Trimester (first three month) there would be no noticeable change in the lady's BP. Second Trimester would register a rise in BP and in the last Trimester the BP would again fall to normal or below normal level. However, as a precaution regular check up is advised for all ladies. The doctor on examining the lady might detect three possibilities.

(a) Rise in BP may have resulted by Pregnancy itself.

(b) She may be having undiagnosed pre-existing BP.

(c) Rise in BP may be caused by toxaemia of pregnancy-a condition in which the lady's body begins to retain salt and water, protein in urine and swelling of the ankles and fingers, all due to blood poisoning by bacteria. This is a very serious condition which can prove fatal for both mother and the unborn baby if not treated cautiously. The mother ought to be immediately hospitalized..

However, a hypertensive potential mother can be treated in much the same way as a non-pregnant woman i_ case the BP is not raised due to toxaemia, with some precautions. Detailed investigations, such as X-ray examinations should be avoided until the baby is born. The doctor should prescribe as few drugs as possible, especially those which are known to be safe and preferably the drugs which aim at salt restriction and weight reduction. In any case the pregnant lady must inform her doctor all about her condition with the past ailment history, as soon as the conception takes place. Always remember that the drug history is very important for the doctor supervising pregnancy.

Now with modern advancement in science and technology many new remedies and medicines have been discovered which can effectively treat even the most serious hypertensive pregnant ladies.