Gestational hypertension (high blood pressure in pregnancy)

Description Elevated blood pres...

Description

Elevated blood pressure after the 20th week of pregnancy. It occurs in 6-7% of all pregnancies, and is most commonly seen with the woman's first pregnancy. If severe and untreated it can cause damage to the kidneys, heart, and brain. The disorder can also lead to pre-eclampsia, a serious complication of pregnancy that may lead to seizures, bleeding, and other problems. Women with gestational hypertension also have a higher incidence of having premature deliveries and low birth weight babies.

Symptoms

Headache, dizziness, visual changes. Often, there are no symptoms.

Tests

Common tests used for diagnosis and treatment

Workup:
A history and physical exam will be performed, including frequent measures of the blood pressure.

Tests:
Pregnancy (BHCG) test, Complete blood count (CBC), Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), Electrocardiogram (EKG), Urinalysis (UA), Ultrasound

Specialists:
Obstetrics and Gynecology

Treatment

Therapy depends on how high the blood pressure is and the age of the pregnancy. Treatment includes: antihypertensive medications, decreased salt intake, observation and close follow-up, and/or early delivery of the baby.