How To Lower Blood Pressure During Pregnancy

There’s a lot to think about during pregnancy, and your blood pressure may not be at the top of your mind.

But it’s important to get it checked regularly. Because blood pressure is an important indication of a healthy pregnancy. And if it’s too high, your provider can help you take steps to lower it.

High-risk obstetrician Oluyemi Aderibigbe, MD, MBBS, explains why healthy blood pressure during pregnancy is so important and how to keep it in a healthy range.

What’s considered high blood pressure in pregnancy?

Your blood pressure is a combination of two numbers: a top number (systolic) and a bottom number (diastolic). These two numbers tell you how your heart is pumping and functioning.

“Blood pressure measures the pressure of your heart pumping blood throughout your body, getting the blood where it needs to go,” Dr. Aderibigbe explains.

During pregnancy, 140/90 is the threshold for high blood pressure. More than 160/110 is considered very high.

Getting one high blood pressure reading doesn’t necessarily mean you have high blood pressure. Your provider will likely take multiple measurements to confirm whether your blood pressure is within a healthy range.

Why is healthy blood pressure important during pregnancy?

High blood pressure during pregnancy can harm you and affect healthy fetal development.

Risks include:

• Brain swelling
• Postpartum hemorrhage, excessive bleeding following delivery
• Future heart disease
• Heart attack
• Kidney damage
• Liver damage
• Seizure
• Stroke
• Low birth weight
• Premature delivery
• Placental abruption, a dangerous condition where the placenta detaches from the uterus

Who’s at risk of high blood pressure during pregnancy?

High blood pressure is a major health concern, both during pregnancy and throughout our lives.

“If you look back to the 1980s, high blood pressure has been on the rise,” Dr. Aderibigbe reports. “That’s because of changes in the general health of the population.”

High blood pressure during pregnancy is also increasing, primarily due to:

• Age at conception: Many are having children later in life than previous generations. As you age, you're more likely to have high blood pressure.
• Obesity: The percentage of the population that has obesity is growing. Obesity often is associated with high blood pressure.
• In vitro fertilization (IVF): Use of IVF comes with an increased risk of high blood pressure during pregnancy.

Other risk factors that increase your risk of high blood pressure during pregnancy include:

• Carrying multiple babies (twins or more)
• Living with chronic disease, such as kidney disease or Type 2 diabetes
• Having a family history of high blood pressure
• Being of African American heritage
• First pregnancy
• Sleep apnea

What are the types of high blood pressure during pregnancy?

Some have high blood pressure before pregnancy, and some develop it while pregnant.

There are four types of high blood pressure during pregnancy:

• Chronic hypertension typically happens if you had high blood pressure before pregnancy, though you may not have known you had it. Or you may have developed it during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy.
• Gestational hypertension is when you develop high blood pressure after the 20th week of pregnancy. It’s considered a pregnancy-related condition.
• Preeclampsia is high blood pressure that can be accompanied by signs of other serious symptoms, such as kidney or liver problems. This dangerous condition requires treatment right away because it can lead to heart attack, stroke or seizure.
• Chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia happens when you already had high blood pressure before pregnancy, and then you develop preeclampsia during pregnancy. This condition has the same dangers as preeclampsia alone.

How to lower blood pressure while pregnant

It’s always good to be your healthiest self during pregnancy. And while making some healthy changes may help, they may not always be enough.

Dr. Aderibigbe shares what can help lower high blood pressure during pregnancy.

1. Healthy lifestyle

If you're not pregnant, lowering blood pressure can often start with achieving a healthy body weight. But during pregnancy, weight loss shouldn’t be the goal.

“Eat well, exercise, don’t smoke and take good care of yourself. These are the best things you can do,” Dr. Aderibigbe advises.

2. Aspirin therapy

Taking low-dose aspirin at the beginning of pregnancy, after 12 weeks, may help prevent preeclampsia.

Important to note: Don’t start aspirin therapy on your own. Be sure to talk to your provider before starting aspirin during pregnancy.

3. Blood pressure medication

Healthy changes or aspirin therapy may not be enough to keep your blood pressure in a safe range during pregnancy. In those cases, prescription medications may be recommended.

“There are multiple blood pressure medications that are safe in pregnancy,” says Dr. Aderibigbe.

These medications are also safe while breastfeeding.

If you took certain blood pressure medications before pregnancy, a new type may be needed. That’s because some blood pressure medications won't have any effect if you're pregnant. That includes ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers or renin inhibitors.

How to prevent high blood pressure during pregnancy

Your best bet for healthy blood pressure during pregnancy is to optimize your health before getting pregnant.

“There’s no magic formula. It’s all about having healthy habits and getting regular checkups with your provider to catch any issues early,” Dr. Aderibigbe shares.

Taking these steps before getting pregnant can help prevent high blood pressure during pregnancy:

• Eat a healthy diet.
• Exercise regularly.
• Find healthy ways to lower stress, as stress and anxiety can affect your blood pressure.
• Get to or maintain a healthy weight.
• Quit smoking.

You can also try natural ways to lower blood pressure.

And always get in touch with your healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns about your health during pregnancy.