Hoping for some similar stories/advice! I have 'essential hypertension' always had spikes which was put down to anxiety and never treated. Was flagged in early pregnancy but managed to keep it relatively normal until recently at 37 weeks when I got a couple of high/very high readings. They put me on labetalol for a week which made me feel ill and brought BP too low so now just being monitored. My question is, what are my chances for a straightforward (preferably water) birth if BP spikes in labour which seems likely? Has anyone been able to give birth without assisted delivery/interventions with a high BP reading in labour?