Pregnancy Center

Comating-the-Pressure-in-pregnancy

During the course of a pregnancy, a woman's body undergoes many changes. While some of those changes may be normal, other changes may be a cause for alarm. For many women, blood pressure levels become elevated as a direct result of the excess weight and stress associated with carrying a baby. Preeclampsia, Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH) and toxemia, globally are a leading cause of maternal and infant illness and death.

Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension

• Is also called toxemia or preeclampsia.
• It occurs most often in young women with a first pregnancy. It is more common in twin pregnancies, in women with chronic hypertension, preexisting diabetes, and in women who had PIH in a previous pregnancy.
• Usually, there are three primary characteristics of this condition, including the following:
• high blood pressure (a blood pressure reading higher than 140/90 mm Hg, or a significant increase in one or both pressures)
• protein in the urine
• edema (swelling)
• Pre Eclampsia
• Preeclampsia is a disorder that occurs only during pregnancy and the postpartum period and affects both the mother and the unborn baby.
• Swelling, sudden weight gain, headaches and changes in vision are important symptoms; however, some women with rapidly advancing disease report few symptoms.

A Concern for the Pregnant Women

• With high blood pressure, there is an increase in the resistance of blood vessels. This may hinder blood flow in many different organ systems in the expectant mother including the liver, kidneys, brain, uterus, and placenta.
• There are other problems that may develop as a result of PIH. Placental abruption (premature detachment of the placenta from the uterus) may occur in some pregnancies. PIH can also lead to fetal problems including intrauterine growth restriction (poor fetal growth) and stillbirth.
• If untreated, severe PIH may cause dangerous seizures and even death in the mother and fetus. Because of these risks, it may be necessary for the baby to be delivered early, before 37 weeks gestation.

Nutritional Care

• Unlike regular hypertension, pregnancy induced hypertension is not largely impacted by the woman's sodium intake. Only reducing your sodium intake in order to control blood pressure simply will not work. Most doctors will place pregnant women with hypertension on a low sodium diet in order to help women make more healthy food choices. Also, lowering the amount of salt in your daily diet may help reduce some of the swelling you are experiencing as a result of pregnancy induced hypertension.
• Most doctors will prescribe a high protein diet for pregnant women to follow throughout the remainder of their pregnancy. 100 grams of lean protein is the recommended norm. This does not mean that greasy burgers are a part of this diet. Lean protein choices include baked chicken, grilled fish.
• It is also important to make sure that you are eating plenty of fruits and vegetables while on this diet. Snacking on these items instead of processed snacks is a significant improvement and a step in the right direction. Processed crackers, chips, and other treats have many hidden ingredients that can elevate blood pressure, so it is best to avoid them.

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