The Dangers of Hypertension During Pregnancy
Ladies, even temporary hypertension in pregnancy can lead to heart and kidney diseases and diabetes later in life!
High blood pressure can be dangerous for pregnant women. Although it can put certain health risk for both, the mother and the fetus, yet, many ladies end up having a healthy babies with no sign for serious health problems.
High blood pressure in pregnancy isn’t considered as normal thing and it is popular to think that only women with persistent high blood pressure can end up with serious health complications. However, it happens that even women who do not suffer from pre-existing high blood pressure develop hypertension in pregnancy. In medicine, this phenomena is known as gestational hypertension.
Study Which May Save Your Life
Dr. Tuija Mannisto, a postdoctoral fellow at the U.S. NICHD (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development), carried out a study to learn more about health complications that pregnant women who had hypertension in pregnancy can develop later in their life. The study clearly showed that these ladies are at increased risk for developing serious health complications such as heart disease, kidney disease and even diabetes.
Furthermore, the researchers found that even women who had only a few high blood pressure readings while pregnant, may be in greater risk for developing such ailments.
The author of the study, Dr. T. Mannisto in his interview said: “All of the later-life risks were similar in pregnant women who could otherwise be considered low-risk – those who were young, normal weight, nonsmokers, with no diabetes during pregnancy. Women who have had high blood pressure during pregnancy or who are diagnosed with high blood pressure in pregnancy for the first time might benefit from comprehensive heart disease risk factor checks by their physicians, to decrease their long-term risk of heart diseases.”
More about Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is a health condition which is associated with pregnancy and is known as followed by increased blood pressure and protein levels in the urine. This complication typically appears from the 20th week of pregnancy and it indicates kidney problems for pregnant mom.
NIH (National Heart, Lung and Blood institute) defines Preeclampsia as condition which “affects the placenta, and it can affect the mother’s kidney, liver, and brain. When Preeclampsia causes seizures, the condition is known as eclampsia-the second leading cause of maternal death in the U.S. Preeclampsia is also a leading cause of fetal complications, which include low birth weight, premature birth, and stillbirth.”
For now, there is no of preventing preeclampsia and only “cure” for it is actually delivering the baby. Moms who show signs of preeclampsia, must be in close medical supervision and should be monitored frequently to reduce the risk of preeclampsia related complications.
The study is described in the journal “Circulation“. The research was carried out on Finnish women who had babies in 1966 and were followed for 40 years. This study looked at less serious and more common forms of high blood pressure in pregnancy. The conclusions surprised the researchers while they discovered that moms with Preeclampsia are at serious risk to suffer from heart and kidney diseases later in their life.
Health Complications of Hypertension in Pregnancy
Here’s a short rundown of findings the researchers reported after completing the study:
- The risk of developing heart disease increased from 14% up to 100% for 30% of moms who had at least one high blood pressure reading in pregnancy.
- The risk of dying from a heart attack increased from 2 up to 5 times for women who had any high blood pressure reading in pregnancy
- The risk of developing diabetes increased from 1.4 up to 2.2 times for these moms.
- The risk to develop kidney disease later in life increased from 1.9 up to 2.8 times for women who had high blood pressure with and without measurable protein in the urine in pregnancy.
- Women with high blood pressure in pregnancy but normal blood pressure afterwards still had a greater risk – from 1.6 up to 2.5 times – of having hypertension which requires medication treatment or even hospitalization later in their life.
National High Blood Pressure Education Program states: “high blood pressure in pregnancy does not in general increase a woman’s risk for developing chronic hypertension or other heart-related problems.” Based on the findings of the research done by Dr. T. Mannisto, there is more study required to offer the necessary lifestyle changes and effective post-pregnancy follow-up which can dramatically improve long-term health of moms who suffered from elevated blood pressure in their pregnancy.
How to Stay Healthy After High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy?
High blood pressure during pregnancy occurs in 6 percent to 8 percent of expecting women in the U.S. Therefore, ladies who are thinking about having a baby while having high blood pressure, please talk first to your doctor or nurse. The effects of high blood pressure in pregnancy differ relying on the condition and other aspects and only an authorized health care provider can give you the right guidance on what to do and how to act to prevent any health complications while having hypertension during pregnancy .
