High BP, consultants and effects on labour.

[pigleychez]

Im 23weeks with my second.

Had high BP with my first and had a fair bit of monitoring.
Again im getting high readings already and I now have a consultants appointment in a few weeks. MW reckons ill be given medication to control it.

Just wondering other experiences of what happens next and if it had any effects on your labour. My last birth was full of intervention and nothing like the relaxed waterbirth I was hoping for. Was kinda hoping for that this time but im guessing a waterbirth will be a no no now for a start.
How did it effect your labour? Where you heavily monitiored etc?

[bearcrumble]

I would be interested in hearing people's experiences as well. I am coming up for 32 weeks with my first and have had high blood pressure since 28 weeks - now on beta blockers.

Just feel like I don't know what's going to happen to me. I've seen three different doctors at the hospital, one said something about not letting me go beyond 38 weeks.

Will my blood pressure go on getting higher and higher as the pregnancy progresses?

[pigleychez]

bump

[cakeandwine]

I'm not sure how much I can help but I have some experience with high BP having had 3 pregnancy's with high BP. And now 32 weeks with no.4 and BP creeping up.

First and 2nd pregnancy ended with induction at 38 weeks, having been on medication for probably about 2/3 weeks previously. 1st pregnancy resulted in me spending a week in hospital before baby induced, second pregnancy I spent two seperate occasions in hospital being monitored, no more that 2 nights at a time.

3rd pregnancy I wasn't induced but monitored and on medication and went in to labour naturally at 38+5 weeks.

Pre-eclampsia is the biggest worry, and that is what the monitoring is about.

If I am honest the medication made me feel worse that the high BP, and I didn't like being on medication. It generally went down after birth, but with my second I think it took longer.

Bearcrumble, I do remember every single doctor I saw telling me something different about what will happen, in the end, I have had three completely different experiences.

pigley, my first labour like yours was full of intervention, but second took two hours from start to finish, and only had a bit of gas and air...and third like that too.

Good luck, I am not sure that I have helped, but I have to say I am trying to go with the flow with this pregnancy because there seems to be no logic as to what happens!

x

[bearcrumble]

Thank you, cakeandwine - that is helpful.

Do you remember at what level it was when they wanted to take you in for obs overnight?

I have got urine dipsticks at home and my husband takes my blood pressure every day.

I had another appointment today and they didn't want to up my meds any more even though at the hospital it was 138/90 (it's normally a little bit lower than that at home). So I'm still taking 100mg of Labetalol three times a day. I don't seem to feel any side effects with the beta blockers.

They want to see me again next Thursday unless the diastolic goes over 90 persistently.

Were you still having regular midwife appointments as well as seeing the doctors at the hospital? I forgot to ask today if I should still be seeing the midwife. No one has checked my fundal height or listened to the baby's heartbeat for about two and half weeks.

[bearcrumble]

Oh, and good luck to you with your current pregnancy! x

[cakeandwine]

Bearcrumble - i think I was having my regular antenatal appointments towards the end, and then every time my BP was up they would sent me to hospital to be monitored, and always have baby's heart beat checked, sometimes the doctor would measure fundal height, but not always. I think from about 35 weeks I was in hospital every week if not more.

I don't know why I ended up in hosp for overnight obs, maybe swelling had got worst, and suffered from bad headaches. I was having daily urine testing but never more than a trace of protein.

For this pregnancy I have been told by consultant that will be put on meds when BP is 150/100. So far BP creeping up but not that high, and feel fine (apart from being tired). x

[pigleychez]

Oh sorry ladies, I had forgotten to check back on this thread.

Thanks for sharing your experiences Cakeandwine.

Can I ask why you were induced early with DC1 and 2? Did they give a reason.
Im pretty nervous about being induced again as I didnt enjoy it first time. Funilly enough during labour my bp was fine!! I was so hoping to have a more hands off mobile birth this time round.

With DD, everytime the bottom number went over 90, I was sent to the hopsital for monitoring and was usually set home after about an hour of BP monitoring and Babies heart rate and movement monitoring. This pregnancy Ive just been told to see a consutant. Do you know why they worry more second/third time round? Maybe its because its started earlier than last time ie at 18 weeks.

My latest recording( last week) was 150 over 97. Ive been getting lots of headaches but no protein.

Bearcrumble- My midwife has said she still wants to see me at my regular appointments as well as the consultants.

[bearcrumble]

Thanks ladies. I guess I better make a midwife appointment for next week as well then.

So mine was down a bit this morning when we checked it - 128/88 which was a relief.

[fernie3]

Hi
I have had three pregnancies with high bp. The last two developed into preeclampsia.
With the second and third pregnancies I had consultant appointments once a month and midwife appointments first every two weeks and then every week. I was admitted into hospital about 5 times on and off after high reading for 24 hour monitoring. I had my last 2 pregnancies induced a month early BUT other than that it had no effect on labour other than needing the monitor on a few times (not constantly and not for ages). I had gas and air in the second and no pain relief in the third.

In the second I had a drip which was just fluids as they were worried about the fact I wasnt weeing! - this didnt have much of an effect on the labour as I was still able to wander around - the tube was huge and reached aorund most of the room lol.

All three births were (apart from the initial induction) pretty intervention free, easy births. Just the midwife during the actual birth although with my second (which was the more severe preeclampsia) the consultant popped out after he was born to say hi - apparently he had been waiting in the next room at the end just in case lol.

With pregnancy number four (due august). I am seeing midwife every two weeks - starting at 6 weeks this time! and consultant appointments start at 22 weeks.My blood pressure is now at 12 weeks 150/87 which is "ok" for me - its normally about 140/80 when not pregnant.

[LisamumtoJake]

I had high blood pressure from 36 weeks 140/100 to start with in my pregnancy and i was monitored with urine tests and 3 trips to hospital, with one night over, then after 4 more days at 37+5 days i developed severe pre eclampsia and had to have my son by emergency section as my bp went to 160/140-yikes!! I remember none of this though as i'd passed out by this time, and apparently my waters broke as they prepped me,and later i was told this was a natural response to my body being ill, and wanting the baby out!! However i had planned a water birth or something natural, however although this can sometimes ruin what you had planned, i wouldn't worry too much, especially if you're a first time mum, as your bundle of joy more than makes up for the disappointment.
But whatever happens, just make sure you get your BP checked reguarly, and as long as they are monitoring it, you are really getting the best care, and there are plenty i know who have had high BP and had normal births etc.
Finally after 1yr of my baby and he's now a healthy little boy with a healthy weight compared to his 4lb 10oz he was born at and im completely fine. SO it all works out for the best as long as you are monitored reguarly.
I do hope this helps someone and i haven't terrified you!!!

[pigleychez]

Thanks for sharing ladies.

Its good to hear some positive birth experiences. It made me feel abit more hopeful that all is not lost!

Fernie- did they say why you were induced? Was it because your levels were too high? what is TOO high?

I think part of the trouble last time wasnt so much the initial induction but the drip, I had to speed things up as it just wasnt happening quick enough. Took 27 hours to get to 10 cm.
Hopefully if I need inducing this time I can do without the drip!

[suiledonne]

I had high BP towards the end of second pregnancy and some swelling & traces of protein. I was hospitalised about 3 times for observation until it was controlled by medication.

The medication didn't agree with me either and made me throw up until I got used to it.

My situation was a bit odd - I was being reviewed for induction at 38 weeks due to very quick first labour when they realised my blood pressure was high.

For some reason they then refused to induce me (I had mixed feelings about this - I was worried about the BP and wanted baby out but was nervous of induction)

In the end I went a week overdue, on medication for the BP and went into labour at home and barely made it to the hospital. Labour was only 2 hours from first twinge to delivery.

My BP did not drop after the birth and I had to stay on the medication, gradually being weaned off over a couple of months.

DD was 8lbs and prefectly healthy.
No monitoring or anything during labour as I had barely arrived at the hospital before she was born.

Best of luck.

[threeplusone]

Have been wondering about this too so it has been an interesting read. I was discahrged from Hospital on wednesday after 6 nights in for HBP highest reading was 190/100. I am on 250mg 3x aday of methyldopa. 37weeks pg today. I am seein ghte MW twice a week and have to go to the hopsital once a week.
When at the hospital on tuesday I am going to ask them re the birth. This is baby number 4 for me,and I havent had a problem with HBP before.
Fingers crossed for all of us xx

[fernie3]

pigleychez with my second baby my blood pressure was 160/110 and I had 4+ of protein when i was induced, I also had abnormal blood tests results back but I am not sure what was wrong with them!. with my second it was only 140/98 with 1+ but it was going up very quickly and since I was nearly 37 weeks the consultant felt it was just best to end it then rather than waiting.

[seeker]

I had high BP with both of my pregnancies. I tool labetalol from quite early on - the dose being adjusted as it slowly rose. I had urine dipsticks to test for protein - tested every day and I was very aware of the symptoms of pre eclampsia to look out for. It was only ever the BP, though and I had spontaneous natural, intervention free births. Hope this helps.

[seeker]

Oh, and I was 37 and 42!

(That's my age when I delivered, not my blood pressure)

[pigleychez]

Seeker- The natural birth sounds great and thats what im hoping for. How high were your levels?

Im already at 150/97 at 23 weeks so guessing if it only gets higher then its looking likely I'll get put on the tablets.

May sound really silly but I have real trouble swallowing tablets ( I swallowed a coin as a child and ever since, no matter how much i try i just cant get tablets down).
Are they crushable?? Or even better anyone know if they do it in liquid form??

[bearcrumble]

Just bumping the High Blood Pressure thread.

Threeplusone and Pigleychez - how are you both doing?

I'm 33w3d today and it was 145/90 at clinic. They've doubled my dose of Labetalol to 200mg three times a day and I am going back in the morning to have it checked again. If the tablets have bought it down then I'll be going back next Wednesday for another check and a growth scan.

Still no idea about what sort of birth I'll have... The last doc said if they can keep the BP under control I'll be allowed to go naturally. Baby is still breech though. Has been for weeks and weeks.