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Sudden high blood pressure in labour - implications for the future?

12 replies

CharCharGabor · 20/03/2010 22:06

DD2 was born 18 days ago. I had planned a homebirth and laboured at home almost to the pushing stage. At that point the midwives found that my bp was measuring at 140/104 and I had high levels of protein in my urine. We agreed that a transfer was the best idea and I went to hospital in an ambulance. I arrived pushing and DD2 was born 15 minutes later (at half past midnight). Soon after labour my diastolic dropped to 88 (I think) but it rose back up to 100 over the next few hours and stayed like that until early afternoon when the doctor said I could be discharged.

I was wondering if anyone could help me make sense of this. My bp was fine in pregnancy, around 110/70 throughout. I didn't have a headace, disturbed vision or pain under ribs during or after labour, although during labour I did have a pain in my mid right side which I assumed was a strained muscle. That pain disappeared after I gave birth. Nobody explained what was going on during or afterwards which left me rather worried. In fact I was told 2 hours after birth I was fine to go home but stayed in because of no transport, so it was a shock when the doctor the next day started talking about possibly giving me drugs as I could have a seizure.

I know about pre-eclampsia but thought that came on earlier, can it start in labour? Lastly, any ideas on how this can affect future pregnancies? Midwife said it probably wouldn't but she was very vague. Have tried to read about this but I haven't had any luck so any ideas would be great! I know obviously noone can give specific advice but any info about bp in labour would be greatly appreciated

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CharCharGabor · 20/03/2010 22:20

bump

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PlumBumMum · 20/03/2010 22:27

Not quite sure what info you need but with dd1 my bp was slightly raised last 3 weeks ofpg, but the day I went into labour it went sky high,

ds no bp issues at all

dd2 again just raised abit during the end

so I think as they say every pregnancy is different

CharCharGabor · 20/03/2010 22:31

Thanks PBM, any info is great as I am a bit of a worrier and the midwives didn't explain anything, just took bp and walked out again. I spent the first week post partum convinced something horrible would happen and it's left me worried about a subsequent pg (although I'm not planning any more for a while yet.)

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CharCharGabor · 20/03/2010 22:37

Meant to say it's good to hear that you've had a subsequent pregnancy with no problems, I think I'm overthinking it but after an uneventful pregnancy and birth with DD1 and uneventful pregnancy with DD2 it was a surprise to have a problem and made worse by the lack of explanation.

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expatinscotland · 20/03/2010 22:38

I had this with DS, my 3rd.

I'd had an epidural, too! Supposed to lower the BP, which wasn't high.

Mine went up to 151/115 and they called in consultant.

I had a cannula in due to epi and they gave me some drug started with an 'l' that made me projective vom, too.

No idea what caused it.

pushmepullyou · 20/03/2010 22:41

My BP was very high whilst I was in labour, but normal beforehand. I can't remember how high but i know it was bordering on emcs high as they took it every 15 minutes for hours and I would have one that was over the threshold then one just under for what felt like days

I had loads of bloods taken for pe as the hospital were sure I must have it as my bp was so high, but they all came back negative. The consultant and mws said it was 'just one of those things'

I think pe is most likely in first pregnancies (is it something to do with an immune response?)so your mw may well be right.

Sorry, I haven't been much help here and have mostly gone all waffly!

CharCharGabor · 20/03/2010 22:41

I think they were going to give me that drug if it hadn't come down by itself, Lobectol or something I think. Hopefully it's just one of those things then. Will ask the doctor at 6 week check and try to shelve it. Thanks

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CharCharGabor · 20/03/2010 22:44

xpost pushmepullyou, thanks I think the transfer was precautionary and it probably became a non issue because DD2 was born so quickly after we got to the hospital but I keep thinking about it.

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Honeymoonmummy · 20/03/2010 23:02

Hi CharChar, a similar thing happened to me, I had some borderline BP issues in teh past but BP was perfect throughout PG. Had a pretty traumatic labour and my top line ended up as 190!! Apparently you're at threat of a stroke after 170! I ended up with a forceps delivery because they wouldnt let me push any longer.

The surgeon who did the forceps told me not to worry about subsequent pregnancies, it was more common to get pre-eclampsia symptoms in your 1st birth (I appreciate this is your second). He said it wasnt necessary to have a c-section next time. I felt for quite a few weeks that I couldnt go through it again but am currently on the verge of trying again (once I'm off my AD's for PND). Good luck and concentrate on getting yourself up and running and looking after your LO's for now. When you're a bit further on you can ask the HV to put you in touch with someone at the hospital who can go through your notes with you and give you answers to your questions

CharCharGabor · 20/03/2010 23:18

Thanks for posting Honeymoonmummy. Wow, seems like I got off lightly! I was glad it all went so quickly after transfer as it distracted me from bp worries. I did have 3 midwives in with me so they must've been covering all bases. I will speak to my HV in a few weeks I think, she's lovely so will be sure to help. Glad you feel up to trying again, good luck

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expatinscotland · 21/03/2010 00:13

Yeah, it was that labetelol or that.

And then they had to take a drop of blood from DS's foot every few hours after he was born because I had that.

It was so awful! He would cry.

CharCharGabor · 21/03/2010 00:21

How awful, poor baby. Seems we were lucky. I was borderline for the drug, had to have bp taken every 15 minutes for 3 hours to make sure it was on a downward trend and it was, just about. Then they told me to watch out for headaches once I'd gone home. Well, the bloody heating in the hospital gave me sinusitis so I was paranoid for days!

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