High Blood Pressure - 35 weeks pregnant

[babyboybluewithnumbertwox]

Hi ladies,

I was in triage last night after a spell of dizziness, blurred vision, headache, tingling/swollen right hand and tingling around the mouth. They checked my blood pressure, urine and listen to baby to rule out high blood pressure or preeclampsia. My blood pressure reading was high, so they did a profile for 30 minutes where it kept going up then returning to normal.

Stayed on the trace for a good while longer and they confirmed my urine was completely clear, but the senior doctor wanted bloods from me to confirm what was going on and come up with a “plan”. I asked what that sort of meant and she said we could just get this pregnancy over and done with now so an early induction.

Anyway, I was sent back out to wait and a doctor came out and asked me 101 questions about previous history, what has been going on and that I may need medication to keep the blood pressure down as it could only get worse the further on I get.

Long story short, they were happy to send me home based on my blood results, but I must go back straight away if I get similar symptoms which is common sense. Just really hope it stays down and I can avoid lots of hospital trips! My blood pressure spiked this same time with my first son so I can see it happening again. She said if you’ve had high blood pressure with a previous pregnancy, it will more than likely happen again.

I'll be attending all my midwife appointments like normal, I just feel a bit anxious being at home not knowing if my BP is high. Has this happened to anyone else after a similar first pregnancy? I am really hoping for the birth centre this time, although, couldn't go the first time due to my blood pressure being an issue.

I was admitted overnight for my blood pressure at 37 weeks with my first. They put me on labetalol to help keep it down until I went into labour. I had to attend appointments to check my blood pressure twice a week. They were happy with what the medication was doing so was ok to let me go to my due date. My boy came 6 days early at a healthy 6lb 9oz.
I'm currently 23 weeks with my second and they've put me on daily aspirin to try and control my blood pressure. I hope to high heavens I have no problems but I get quite bad luck with this kinda stuff 🤣

Could you get a blood pressure monitor? I bought one for my husband for his high blood pressure and it's super easy to use, it was maybe £15 or something like that

My waters broke at 37+5 and when i went to triage, my BP was very high (155/110). Annoying as i had been taking asprin since 12weeks. I was put straight on labetalol and admitted. Dd actually made her appearance the next day, but i had to keep taking the labetalol for another 8 weeks or so, before slowly coming off it. I bought a £20 home BP monitor from Lloyds and monitored my BP at home. If you are given labetalol, you will def be in hospital for at least 24hrs, as it can affect baby's blood sugars so they need a blood test at 24hrs old to check whether it has affected them or not.

Thank you so much everyone, that is really useful and I hope you are all ok

I had another blurry vision episode this afternoon so just home from the midwife! She is going to see me weekly from now until baby arrives to check my blood pressure etc - all was well today thankfully!

I've just been through this (delivered 7 days ago). From around 34/35 weeks my blood pressure was up and down whilst my urine was mostly clear and sometimes had traces of protein in it. I was monitored in triage as well as through my midwife but eventually I was induced at 39 weeks after a day of reduced movements. The final conclusion was that I had pregnancy induced hypertension, but not pre-eclampsia.

I had to take medication in labour to reduce my blood pressure and I was also sent home with 3 weeks worth of medication with a GP review due soon

Hi…

I am currently 34+6 … I have been on labetalol 100mg twice a day since around 30 weeks. As I just wasn’t feeling too good one Sunday and thought it was best to get checked at mau I had a lot of swelling in my feet . They checked me over and bp was monitored over the hour came back high on a average. So they decided to medicate me… I also had urine test that was clear and a blood test for pre eclampsia so basically the result for that came back in the middle . They told me I wasn’t a high risk or low risk but was in the middle based on the bloods ?? Little confused I was. So Iv had weekly bp monitoring at the day care at the hospital all been ok until last Wednesday 34 weeks where it was high … seen by doctor who just advised me to keep an eye on things . I literally hate when they say that as it just really sets my anxiety off. My swelling in my feet is just a whole new level like no shoes fit me and they pit terrible when I touch them. This is my 3rd pregnancy my last two were 9 and 10 years ago I feel like this one has been so stressful. My first pregnancy I delivered at 35 weeks due to pre eclampsia that I had no idea I had so worried this will happen again.

so after a little worried morning today and a lot of swelling this time I noticed it in my hands I contacted mau… they told me to contact my community midwife too see if she would check me over as it’s a Saturday. They didn’t really want to check me mau and said as I’m already medicated should be ok ?? So anyway seen my community midwife who check bp all 4 readings were high … 145/93 no protein just a trace of blood. So she called mau where doctor told me to up meds to 200mg 2x a day. So this is where I’m at took first up dose tonight just feel so anxious. I have an at home bp monitor I borrowed off my mam …. But feel like I’m getting obsessed with checking and all seem to be high then ok … I’m back in day care on Wednesday just hope my bp will stabilise before then. Tablets made me feel yuck at the start but then I got used to them feel a bit yuck tonight might be off the increased dose … just really can’t wait for this all to be over ! All worth it tho x

Spot dips are not terribly reliable as they only measure concentration. To properly diagnose proteinuria you really need a 24 hour collection and measurement. I had diagnosis & management mishandled with my first by over reliance on spot testing and by the time I was managed properly I was developing HELLP.

I believe the current medical advice for PIH or preeclampsia without severe features is to induce at 37 weeks, though I had youngest in the USA so I can't swear that the NHS is using the same guidance as here.

Mea culpa - I suspected I might be out of date so I checked NICE guidance. They are now recommending automated dipsticks with protein:creatinine or albumin:creatinine ratios.

I'm at high risk of developing high pressure in pregnancy so I bought a blood pressure monitor to keep an eye on it myself. I'm 30 weeks

How are you finding it do you find it accurate I never know what to think of the at home monitor ? X

How are you getting on ? X

Get a monitor. I think weekly seems a bit of a long time at your stage and if they haven't medicated you.

My ds was delivered at 37 weeks with induction for this reason. I never had any protein in urine but I ended up being blue lighted to hospital with scarey high BP. I was on methyldopa for a while and then another one towards the end.

I remember they gave me steroid injections just in case had to have induction early. It was about a week later than they initially suggested it might be on the cards iirc.

Try not to worry but be prepared to go in early.

I have white coat syndrome so my readings in a clinical setting are typically high in pregnancy. I bought a home bp machine and check it every so often.

My last pregnancy my home readings went up about 35 weeks and I was put on the lowest dose of labetalol which controlled it till I was induced at 39 weeks.

This time round my bp has been 150/85 in the hospital (20 weeks now) and the midwives said I would definitely be put on medication but when the consultant saw me he said that was fine and he wasn't worried