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Understanding the Dangers of Hypertension During Pregnancy

Hypertension is one of the most common health problems during pregnancy. Although it is fairly common, hypertension in pregnant women should not be underestimated because this condition can increase the risk of fetal development disorders to fatal effects on the mother and baby

For those of you who are planning to get pregnant or have a pregnancy, here are some important things about pregnancy related hypertension that you need to understand.

Hypertension During Pregnancy

Types of Hypertension in Pregnant Women


Hypertension can occur in 10% of all pregnancy cases and is classified as often when compared with other health problems. This condition can even afflict pregnant women who have always had normal blood pressure.

Before determining how to deal with it, you need to know first what type of hypertension you are facing. The diagnosis of hypertension in pregnant women is generally divided into four categories, namely as follows:
  • Chronic hypertension that has existed before before becoming pregnant or newly diagnosed at gestational age before 20 weeks.
  • Preeclampsia-eclampsia, which is a pregnancy complication that occurs during pregnancy entering the age of 24 weeks and above. This type of hypertension can appear without prior history.
  • Chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia, which is a condition when a pregnant woman who has a history of chronic hypertension has preeclampsia.
  • Gestational hypertension or hypertension which only occurs during pregnancy. Blood pressure will then drop back after delivery.

Impact of Hypertension on Pregnant Women and Fetuses


Uncontrolled blood pressure during pregnancy can cause various disorders of fetal development. The higher the blood pressure and the longer the mother experiences it, the complications in the fetus will get worse. One of the most dangerous effects is the increased possibility of miscarriage in the early trimester and sudden fetal death (stillbirth).

If the pregnancy continues, fetal growth will be hampered, even fail. This problem can then affect the cognitive impairment of children born.

Hypertension in pregnant women generally does not cause difficulties for subsequent pregnancies. However, the risk of hypertension persists when you experience a second and subsequent pregnancy. Especially if you have chronic diseases such as diabetes.

Can Pregnant Women Who Have Hypertension be Able to Do Normal Labor?


You can still do a normal delivery despite having hypertension. However, there are a number of conditions that must be met. The most important point is that labor must take place in a short time. For that, you must be able to push effectively so that the baby can get out of the womb quickly.

A number of labor cases may take up to 2-3 days, but this is a major taboo if you have hypertension. If labor lasts longer than it should, you may need to undergo an induction process or even a caesarean section as long as there are no dangerous contraindications.

Then, what if you are diagnosed with hypertension when you have enough gestational age to deliver? For cases like this, I suggest that the baby be born soon to prevent further complications. Whether labor can be done normally or by caesarean section, it depends on the condition of the fetus and yourself.

Can Hypertension be Prevented and Treated?


Like hypertensive patients in general, pregnant women who have hypertension may also take blood pressure-lowering drugs. However, it should be noted that consumption of these drugs must be based on prescription provisions because not all types of hypertension drugs may be consumed during pregnancy.

Unfortunately, consumption of hypertensive drugs can be said is not the absolute solution to solving this health problem. Moreover, if you only rely on a healthy lifestyle and improved diet when you have been diagnosed with hypertension during pregnancy.

Improvements in lifestyle and diet should have been carried out long ago when you planned a pregnancy, and consisted of the following methods:
  • Maintain ideal body weight before becoming pregnant so that you are not too thin or too fat.
  • Actively moving and exercising to prevent uncontrolled weight gain.
  • Adjust weight gain during pregnancy with your body mass index before becoming pregnant. That is, increasing weight should not be excessive if your body mass index has been excessive before, and should not be less if your body is classified as thin.
  • Not following misleading eating suggestions, for example, multiplying sweet foods so that the fetus quickly grows large or eats with two portions to meet the needs of the fetus.
  • If you are obese when planning a pregnancy, it's good to postpone pregnancy first. However, sometimes there are certain conditions that might make you unable to delay pregnancy. In cases like this, the main principle is no longer to lose weight, but to keep the weight under control and not increase continuously to prevent hypertension in pregnant women.

The Role of Husband If Wife Have Hypertension During Pregnancy


Prevention and treatment of hypertension must be done thoroughly. Therefore, the husband also plays an important role in maintaining his wife's commitment to living a healthy lifestyle.

Husbands must be able to regulate their diet and lifestyle to help their wives prevent hypertension. In addition to eating balanced nutritious food, the husband must also take part in inviting his wife to be more active in moving and exercising.

No less important factor is how the husband must be wise in facing a wife who is experiencing cravings. Do not let the desire to fulfill cravings actually have a negative impact on the health of the mother and fetus.

Hypertension in pregnant women is indeed quite a lot, but that does not mean it cannot be prevented at all. With a strong commitment and support from the environment around you, it is not impossible to have a healthy pregnancy without hypertension.