Gestational Hypertension - Stanford Children's Health

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What is gestational hypertension?

Gestational hypertension is high blood pressure in pregnancy. 

It's different from chronic hypertension, which happens when a person has high blood pressure before they get pregnant. It’s also different from preeclampsia and eclampsia. These are other blood pressure problems in pregnancy.

Gestational hypertension often starts in the second half of pregnancy. It normally goes away after your baby is born. 

What causes gestational hypertension?

Doctors don't know what causes this condition. Things that may increase your risk include:

  • Having high blood pressure before pregnancy or with a past pregnancy.

  • Having kidney disease.

  • Having diabetes.

  • Being age 35 or older.

  • Being pregnant with multiples, such as twins or triplets.

  • Being African American.

What are the symptoms of gestational hypertension?

Symptoms can occur a bit differently in each pregnancy.

The main symptom is high blood pressure in the second half of pregnancy.

High blood pressure in pregnancy can lead to other serious issues. These can include preeclampsia. Make sure to watch for signs of high blood pressure.

Other symptoms include:

  • A headache that doesn’t go away.

  • Edema (swelling).

  • Sudden weight gain.

  • Vision changes, such as blurred or double vision.

  • Nausea or vomiting.

  • Pain in the upper right side of your belly, or pain around your stomach.

  • Making small amounts of urine.

Some people don't have any symptoms.

How is gestational hypertension diagnosed?

If your blood pressure increases, your doctor may diagnose you with this condition. You may also have tests to check for this issue, such as:

  • Blood pressure readings.

  • Urine testing to check for protein. This is a sign that your kidneys aren’t working well.

  • Checking for swelling.

  • Checking your weight more often.

  • Liver and kidney function tests.

  • Blood clotting tests.

How is gestational hypertension treated?

Blood pressure monitoring

Your doctor may check your blood pressure more often. Tell your doctor if you have any new symptoms.

Fetal monitoring

Your doctor may do tests to check the health of your baby. These tests may include:

  • Fetal movement counting. You’ll keep track of your baby’s kicks and movements. A change in the number of kicks or how often your baby kicks may mean that your baby is under stress.

  • Nonstress testing. This test measures your baby’s heart rate in response to its movements.

  • Biophysical profile. This test combines a nonstress test with an ultrasound to watch your baby.

  • Doppler flow studies. This test is a type of ultrasound that uses sound waves to measure the flow of your baby’s blood through a blood vessel.

Lab testing

Your doctor may test your urine and blood at every prenatal checkup. This testing will tell if your condition is getting worse.

Medicine

Your doctor may give you corticosteroids. These medicines can help your baby’s lungs mature. You’ll get them if it looks like your baby is going to be born early.

What are possible complications of gestational hypertension?

High blood pressure can affect your blood vessels. It may decrease blood flow in your liver, kidneys, brain, uterus, and placenta. 

This condition can get worse. It can lead to preeclampsia and eclampsia. These are serious blood pressure problems. They can cause:

  • Placental abruption. This means that the placenta pulls away from the uterus too early.

  • Poor fetal growth.

  • Stillbirth.

  • Seizures.

  • Death of the mother and baby.

Because of these risks, your doctor may decide that you need to have your baby early. This may happen before 37 weeks of pregnancy.

You have a higher chance of having high blood pressure in the future. This can happen even if your blood pressure goes back to normal after childbirth.

Can gestational hypertension be prevented?

Having this issue diagnosed and treated early may help reduce your risk for complications. That's why it’s important to go to your prenatal checkups. Doing so may keep your condition from getting worse.

When should I call my doctor?

Contact your doctor right away if you have signs of high blood pressure. Symptoms can include a headache that doesn’t go away, blurred or double vision, swelling, and making less urine than normal.

Key points about gestational hypertension

  • Gestational hypertension is a form of high blood pressure in pregnancy.

  • This condition can affect the health of both you and your baby. It depends on how bad the issue is.

  • Call your doctor right away if you have signs of high blood pressure. Symptoms can include a headache that doesn’t go away, blurred or double vision, swelling, and making less urine than normal.  

  • The goal of treatment is to prevent the condition from getting worse and causing other problems.

Next steps

Here are some tips to help you get the most from a visit to your doctor:

  • Know the reason for your visit and what you want to happen.

  • Before your visit, write down questions you want answered.

  • Bring someone with you to help you ask questions and remember what your doctor tells you.

  • At the visit, write down the name of a new diagnosis and any new medicines, treatments, or tests. Also write down any new instructions your doctor gives you.

  • Know why a new medicine or treatment is prescribed and how it will help you. Also know what the side effects are.

  • Ask if your condition can be treated in other ways.

  • Know why a test or procedure is recommended and what the results could mean.

  • Know what to expect if you don't take the medicine or have the test or procedure.

  • If you have a follow-up appointment, write down the date, time, and purpose for that visit.

  • Know how you can contact your doctor if you have questions, especially after office hours or on weekends.

Related Links

  • Johnson Center for Pregnancy and Newborn Services
  • Fetal and Pregnancy Health
  • Fetal Cardiology
Share Print
  • HELLP Syndrome
  • Graves Disease in Pregnancy
  • Chronic Hypertension and Pregnancy

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