Is my bp ok?

[mummytopebs]

I had pre-eclampsia with my dd. I know it is to early for this condition as i am only 12 + 5 but the last few days i have been having palpatations and constant headache, ihave just took my bp and it is 140/84 is this ok or high?

[SheWillBeLoved]

It's at the very high end of the normal range.

140 = any higher and that figure goes into the 'high' range, 84 = 6 more units and that too will be in the 'high' range.

Keep an eye on it and mention it to your doctor/midwife when you see them next, especially if you've already suffered from pre-pre-eclampsia.

[mummytopebs]

Thanks i know when i had pre-eclampsia they used to admit me when the bottom figure went over 90 but wasent sure what it should be at 12 weeks

[reikizen]

what was your booking bp? Is the machine you took your bp on reliable?It sounds more like you have hypertension rather than Pre-eclampsia due to your gestation as you say. However, you need to inform your midwife so that they can check it as hypertension can have serious consequenses for you and baby, and with having previous pre-eclampsia you are at greater risk this time around. When is your next appointment?

[SheWillBeLoved]

I'm not sure whether it should be anything other than normal at any stage of pregnancy, I've never been told that my BP being outside of my normal range was okay because I was so many weeks. They make allowances, eg; when mine was slightly higher, they said it was because we were in the middle of the heatwave and I was almost at term, but even then it was only very slightly in the high end of normal and I had to go back in 1 week instead of 2 to check it had lowered.

There should be a little chart on Google somewhere which shows you the normal ranges, maybe bookmark it and keep an eye on your BP yourself in between midwife appointments? Hope it stays okay for you this time

[reikizen]

The difference is that pre-eclampsia is related to the development of the placenta so raised bp before 20 weeks is classified as gestational hypertension (or chronic hypertendion if it was present before pregnancy) which may lead to pre-eclampsia later on. So we generally take 140/90 on at least two occasions 4 hours apart as being diagnostic of hypertension.

[mummytopebs]

Got my consultant appt the 30th July. I will monitor it over the weekend and ring midwife on monday. Does anyone know what stage i should be worrying and ringing the midwifes at the hospital or do you think it will be ok to wait?

[reikizen]

We give medication if the diastolic (ie. the 'lower' number) goes over 100. But you are the best judge of whether you are feeling unwell and you can always go to the hospital so they can do a bp 'profile' for you. this is where they do 4 readings half an hour apart to see if it settles down. Otherwise if you have a nice community midwife they may pop round and check it for you.

[brettgirl2]

I have highish BP and white coat syndrome. My top figure was often above 140 during my pregnancy and no-one seemed worried at all. Booking was 130/77 I think. I had one reading where the lower one was 90 and that was the only time anyone was even slightly worried. Try to relax, stressing isn't good for BP