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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

High Blood Pressure - Don't understand the numbers, how high is it?

17 replies

BorgLady · 31/03/2011 14:29

Had my 16 week antenatal with my doctor last week and she told me my blood pressure was high and they should keep an eye on it. But my next antenatal isn't due until 25 weeks, and that one is optional as it's my second baby.

Have to confess I don't understand the numbers, but she wrote on my notes that it was 134/90. Is that very high or just borderline and nothing to worry about?

How much of a danger is high blood pressure this early in pregnancy? I know later it can be a sign of pre eclampsia (?) is this true now too?

My blood pressure was fine during first preg, but then I wasn't trying to find a house, a new job for my husband or look after a tantruming two year old then!

Thanks for your help.

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AngieM2 · 31/03/2011 14:33

Hi there, depends what your booking BP was? Have a look in your green notes, on the page where they do the routine checks. If either of the current readings is 20 above the booking you should have a recheck definately before 25 weeks. X

Dlamis · 31/03/2011 14:35

This might help.

Original poster
BorgLady · 31/03/2011 14:37

I've had my BP taken twice as I have been booked in at two different hospitals due to moving, once at 6wks and again at 10wks. Both times my BP was 100/60, so both numbers are 20 over.

Hmmm ... book another appointment to get it checked? My doctors has a machine in the foyer for DIY bp taking, maybe I should just go in and use that in case it was just that day?

Thanks for your help.

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Wheelybug · 31/03/2011 14:39

In pregnancy the number they worry about is the bottom number - 90 is the start of where they flag it up as an issue. So currently borderline but I would expect they would check it again before 25weeks. But as Angie says, maybe if you are normally this sort of level they are less worried.

I had probable pre-eclampsia in my first pregnancy. In my second I bought a home BP monitor which meant I could help keep a check on it. Mine was often around 90 but never got higher second time round.

Bonkerz · 31/03/2011 14:39

my midwife is only concerned with the bottom number, mine is always closer to or just over 90 and that puts it at CONCERN rating....if it goes over 100 they panic. BUT thresholds differ for each midwife. The hospital i go to only get concerned if my BP goes over what my booking in BP was and at the moment its the same.

mosschops30 · 31/03/2011 14:40

It could be her reading or the machine.
I had mine done yesterday at the gym it was 145/82 which is waay too high for me, did it at the oesteopath this morning and it was 116/63. You cant just do a random reading, you need to compare it to your booking, or normal bp

Iklboo · 31/03/2011 14:40

It's the second number they worry about the most, apparently. That's a really good site Dlamis has linked to.

ethelina · 31/03/2011 14:41

Mine floated around the 130-140/75-85 mark all the way through after about 21 weeks when my lowest reading was 95/55. The highest was 155/90 at a hospital appointment (after they had lost the notes I had just handed them, hardly surprising then Hmm)

They were never seriously worried, just kept monitoring me and said if it got consistently higher than 140/90 then they would consider medication, BUT it mostly sat a few below.

It went right back to normal (110/70) after I gave birth.

AngieM2 · 31/03/2011 14:41

Hi again, yes I can imagine their faces when you book an appt for a BP check! But lets face it, its your health, your pregnancy and your baby so you've every right to be checked out. Yes by all means get it checked on their machine or in Boots or elsewhere, though ideally in pregnancy a manual sphig should be used - not a machine. A

ethelina · 31/03/2011 14:42

Apologies for shouting "but" there as the reason for my high BP is stabbing the caps lock on my laptop over and over...

Original poster
BorgLady · 31/03/2011 14:48

My doctors use a machine every time, didn't realise it made a difference in pregnancy.

Looking at the chart, it's obviously just borderline so I won't panic just yet. I'll use the machine next time I walk past and check it out. If it's up again I might make an appointment with the nurse practitioner or something.

Thanks everyone for your advice.

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BrightSideOfLife · 31/03/2011 14:50

I was treated for High Blood Pressure in my first pregnancy (Eventually induced at 38 weeks when the medication stopped working) and am under consultant care for the same issue now.

I have been told that when my reading reaches 140/90 I will start medication. It is creeping up and is currently 138/88 (I am 23 weeks) I see the consultant every 2 weeks.

HOWEVER, I have an identified blood pressure problem (it is genetic - my mom has it too). As Angie says, they refer back to your booking in BP reading as a gauge of where your BP would be normally and then make their decisions based on that.

I agree also with Mosschops - for some reason my readings were always quite different from the manual machine in the consultation rooms and from the electric machine in the Day Assessment Unit. (If I remember correctly - the electric machines gave me a higher reading).

bruffin · 31/03/2011 14:53

i was taken into hospital at 32 weeks when my bottom one was 95/105 and was told I could go home if it went under 90, which it didn't and I stayed there for 7 weeks. This was 16 years ago and I don't think they medicated in those days. I had odema, but didn't get any protein in my urine until 38 weeks and my bottom bp went sky high, so I was induced.

What they actuall seemed more concerned about at the time was the fact my bp had risen over 20 from my booking in BP. I have always had high BP any my BP at booking was low for me, but I think it is normal for BP to drop a bit when you get pregnant.

cassnstar · 31/03/2011 15:02

I was 90 over 50 on Monday, and now 149 over 80. Usually very low, especially in pregnancy, I am a bit concerned it is now so high, but then I have just done 5 hours of cleaning. Must slow down!

Original poster
BorgLady · 31/03/2011 15:07

Doc told me to try and take it easy. Of course no one believed me that she'd said this!

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Pootletrinket · 31/03/2011 15:55

Mine had started to creep up; over the last week I've been doing a few other things which seem (fingers crossed or they would be if it wasn't for the carpal tunnel!!) to have helped this week:

Keep hydrated - drink pints of water
Eat potassium rich food (bananas, avocados, dried apricots)
Cut out caffeine (apart from chocolate!) and adding salt to food (but not avoided altogether)
Juice of half a lemon or lime in half a cup of water with 2 tsp of cream of tartar for 3 days, then 2 days rest then repeat.

Not sure which, if any, are doing the trick, but none can do any harm and it's got the MW off the (we need to monitor this) line of conversation.

Good luck!

Original poster
BorgLady · 31/03/2011 16:04

Thanks for the tips. I'm already caffeine free due to migraines and I don't add salt to food so I'm ahead of the game on that score.

I'll try the others out, definitely worth it! Many thanks.

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