Blood pressure - how high is high?

[pinkspottywellies]

I was mooching through my notes the other day and noticed that at my last mw appointment (34 weeks) my bp was 120/sixty-something. The first 2 appointments it was only 100/sixty-something. Then 108 then 112. (sorry notes upstairs and get too out of breath to go and look!!)

I'm not worried (yet!) but just thought that was quite a big increase, although I think it's quite low to start with.

So, when would they start to think of it as high - is there a % increase or a figure that you go over?

TIA

[mrsdisorganised]

When I had high blood pressure I think it was something like 148/96.....can't remember exactly, I had pre-eclampsia, so you don't need to worry

[IdrisTheDragon]

I think people started getting worried when my lower reading was about 80 or 85 (it was usually 120/70). The upper reading is influenced more by immediate stress - the lower reading is I think more indicative of a problem.

Mine ended up as something like 150/100 at its height - I too had pre-eclampsia.

[cazzybabs]

it is the bottom number they worry about...mine went over a 100 and I was admitted to hospital (mutter mutter mutter worst experience of my life...12 months on and I am still bitter)

[surprisenumber3]

140/90 is when they start to get concerned but having said that it depends what yours is normally. Mine is usually 140/90 but when I booked in it was 172/100! Last appointment it was 130/75 so they were very pleased with me!

Third pg now and had PE in first pg when it went from 110/70 to 190/120 and then I had to have an immediate section at 34 weeks.

As long as it gets checked regularly, try not to worry, you are lucky it is so low to start with

[coppertop]

IIRC it's the lower/second number they paid most attention too. I was sent off for an urgent blood pressure profile when mine kept spiking from ?/75 to ?/110.

I didn't have pre-eclampsia or anything. They just concluded that I was prone to spiking.

[pinkspottywellies]

Thanks for the quick replies everyone! I'll not worry then

Idris - haven't seen you for ages! Have you left the yurt?

[Sixofone]

It is more about, what's normal for you, and what your bp is in relation to that and if it is or isn't over the threshold of what is considered normal.

For example, my 'normal' BP is 140/90 (which is borderline high). In my last pregnancy, no-one worried really until it went over 150/100, at which point they put me on medication and monitored me more or less twice a week.

When it shot up to 190/120 despite a medication cocktail, they gave me a huge dose of magnesium then induced me at 36.5 weeks.

This time around, booked in at 140/84, had my bp taken today and it was 134/70...not quite believing that reading as I take my BP daily and it's never that low - but if that's what they want to put in my notes and it keeps me out of the doctor's clutches a bit longer...fine with me

So it sounds like you can rest easy

[fernie3]

normal for me is around 130/80 with my last pregnancy they got worried when it got to 160/120 and induced at 36 weeks

sophie

[weddingcake]

It's definitely the bottom number they worry most about and also what's normal for you. I'm being monitored quite regularly at the moment and am also taking it daily at home. have been told to call them if my bottom number is consistently 10 over my booking number...if that makes sense!