What is considered 'HIGH' BP during pregnancy?

[Ivortheengine8]

Last pregnancy my BP stayed at around 110/60 ish
This pregnancy at my booking in appt it was 137/74, last two times it has been 130/80
I know the midwife was a little surprised at my first reading, but the Dr just commented how it had come down a bit the next couple of times.

Just wondered if this was considered high or what your readings were?

140/90 is considered 'moderately high' so not the worst.

I've always had raised blood pressure ever since it was first measured about 17 years ago as a teenager. Mine is similar to yours.

I asked the community midwife and hospital midwife about it and they weren't that concerned. They said they will continue to test for pre eclampsia as they do with everyone and will consider testing me more regularly in final trimester (I'm 21 weeks now) and if it increased they could prescribe tablets to lower it which are known to be safe in pregnancy.

I read the NICE guidelines about hypertension in pregnancy and it was really reassuring because it basically confirmed it would need to be much higher to be a serious problem.

Having said all that my BP is considered congenital and I don't know if that makes a difference?

I had pregnancy induced hypertension when I was pregnant with DS. I found that the doctors and midwives always compared BP readings to the one at my booking appointment. when it wasn't controlled it tended to be around 140/90 which isn't high for some people but was for me! if they are really worried they'll send you along to the day assessment unit at the hospital to get your BP taken over period of time. I hope this helps. the main thing is to try not to worry about it which I know is easier said than done!

Thankyou! :)

I would back up what cupcake has said. My booking appointment bp wasn't high but they believe it is gestational hypertension I have now and I've been consistently above/around 135/90 for weeks now. They put me on medication about 3 weeks ago and keep increasing dose. My bp hasn't gone up any further on medication which is good.

I would say that it took a while for a MW to actually say 'this is not normal' and refer me to get it taken more seriously. They should just keep an eye on yours as it isn't high at the moment, even though it has risen a bit. I don't think you've got cause to worry just yet ;) Just be vigilent if it does go higher, but they'll drum into about signs of pre eclampsia! Try not to worry though. Just deal with things as they come but you sound fine at the mo. :)

Thanks rootatoot. I guess I have gained two years and quite a bit of weight since I had DD which might contribute to the rise. I am also on blood thinners for previous blood clot after DD so am being consultant led anyway.

Ah well, that's good you're consultant led. They will be monitoring you more closely anyway. I got the impression that some of the community MWs and GP s were, with the best of intentions, trying to make out that BP was just high because of different equipment (always get higher reading with electric BP monitors) or white coat syndrome at first. I actually thought the same thing, but I can't deny it now and very relieved that they are looking after me well now.

My blood pressure is usually 90/60 which is a bit on the low side so when I saw a midwife last week with pink discharge/spotting and BP of 130/90 she sent me in to the hospital be assessed.

I guess they look at the "average person" definition of high blood pressure of 140/90 but also pay attention to what your normal range is, so start to take notice if it is high for you or has a sudden rise.

Thanks mamamoo, I'm not actually sure what my normal range is out of pregnancy.

I had pre-eclampsia in my first pregnancy and in part my bp was compared to my booking bp, but I was also told it was the second number they were more concerned about and particularly if it went to 100+. I was put on labetalol tablets and then 'weaned off' about 6 weeks after giving birth under the monitoring of my GP.

KS I did read that somewhere about the bottom number. My sister had pre eclamsia in her pregnancy last year and had a C section but I don't know the details as she had her DC in another country. Did you get other symptoms with it?

Hi Ivor, I had protein in my urine as well as the high bp but the protein cleared up both times within 24 hours (I was admitted for monitoring on 2 occasions, each for about 5 days). I was lucky in that at no time did my ds appear to be under any stress, as I think that is when they usually decide to give you a c section here. They hooked me up to a monitor that allowed them to record my ds heartbeat over a period of about 20 - 30 mins. In the end they induced me at 38 weeks, but my ds was measuring big as well (he was born 8lb 3oz in the end).

Thanks KS, Glad it all ended well. Is this pregnancy going well? :)

No probs Ivor, my ds is actually 2 years old next week! Only just found out I'm pregnant - 5 weeks today, but GP said my bp would be monitored more frequently this time. Hope all is well with you. :)

Congratulations! :)
Yes am plodding on here, 26 weeks now with a DD who will be exactly 2 when baby arrives! Nightmare begins!

I've just had bp hassles and I'm only 16 wks! I did have high bp early on with dd, but it settled by 28ish weeks.

Tbh is was the docs fault lol. I saw him for something unrelated the other week and he decided to take my bp, which was up from my booking in. So I had it done two weeks later by the nurse and was still up.

So I phoned my mw and gave her all the readings and she said pop in to see her. Anyway my bp is fine!

The top number (which was the significantly raised one) is to do with the volume of blood, which is of course increased so they're not too bothered about that. It's the lower one they pay attention to, and they let you go up by 15-20 from booking in before worrying. If it's before 24 weeks then it's considered pregnancy induced hypertension and after that they'd start testing for pre-eclampsia.

My mw did comment that you'd have thought a gp would know [hgrin].

Mine was 185/160 when I went in to discuss induction with dd at 36 weeks, apparently they were quite worried.....

I had PIH during my previous pregnancy. Although my BP was high at the booking appointment, it really started creeping up during 8 month. Thing is, I don't like being in a medical facility or around doctors, I get quite anxious around them so at the beginning it was definitely due to white coat syndrome. My readings at home were all around 110/70 at the time, but at appointment they were 140/90. However, when I was 20-ish week, they found that my flows were not ideal, which may indicate risk for higher BP in 3rd trimester as the baby grows. And really, after week 32 I started getting high BP readings even at home. It crept up over the weeks, it wasn't anything sudden. They put me on medication which controlled it nicely, gave birth at week 40, everything went fine.
I think if a woman develops high BP before week 20, they treat that as PIH. If she develops high BP (usually after week 20) AND gets proteins in urine AND she starts swelling (specially in face and hands) she is diagnosed with pre-eclampsia.

Your blood pressure particularly the top figure can fluctuate massively depending on how relaxed you are (or not). I have white coat syndrome and they get some very odd bp readings. The top one can easily fluctuate by 20 points if you are just really tense.