Severe white coat syndrome - worried about after birth!

[hayleyannlambert]

I have had crazy white coat syndrome for my entire life - I know that having my blood pressure taken is normal and doesn’t hurt and not harmful etc, I know. There is just this fear around it for me (think it stems from my father’s hypertension, heart problems and subsequently causing his death).

I’m 35 weeks pregnant now and have been able to manage with monitoring my BP at home and my midwives trusting those readings rather than the ones they take in the GP. I’m very grateful for that.

I’m now panicking about the obs they take after birth and me not being able to go home because my BP will be so high in the hospital because of white coat syndrome. I’m hoping that the happy hormones etc will lower it or if they’re unhappy with the reading they’ll prescribe me something to lower it until I’m home and can take it myself.

Has anyone else experienced white coat syndrome in pregnancy, how did you manage it and if you did have high BP after birth, what did they do to manage you?

Thankyou so much in advance!!

They will probably give you medication and when your blood pressure has stabilized let you home

i have this and got kept in before I gave birth numerous times at appointments for monitoring …. Strangely though they didn’t care at all after the birth !

Hey

I had the EXACT same thing and as it had been documented in the notes it actually became something we all joked about, as in ‘oooh how high will it be this time!’ Sometimes they left the machine on whilst I tried (unsuccessfully to calm down) but ultimately they didn’t seem to worry as much as prior to birth.

I had a monitor at home to keep a daily record in pregnancy and one midwife suggested someone bringing it in. I did that and took a reading at my leisure in the hospital and that brought it down a bit.

I don’t know if you do, but I wrote down my daily readings at home and took them with me and that seemed to help too as they could see I was fine at home.

Its so annoying isn’t it, especially if you get told to just relax!!

Hope that helps a little x

I don't have white coat syndrome but I do have a fast normal pulse. Even outside of pregnancy it can be 95-105.
I'm 36 weeks and have been in and out of triage and the maternity ward the last few weeks and my pulse has freaked a few of them out. They have got me to do some breathing exercises and done some manual measurements, repeats after an hour and so on. They haven't been looking to get me to a normal pulse but looked at ensuring it's normal for me or that it can be lowered even if not to a normal level. So say it's at 120 they look to see if they can get it back below 110. The only time they worried was when it was over 150 but they took it manually and it was more reasonable so they were happy that I didn't need any actions
I'd explain the situation, I'd maybe take a measurement before going to a midwife appointment at home and then get the midwife to do one and document both and take that with you so you can show the effect a medical professional has on you and what is normal for you at home and what is normal for you in a medical setting

I have the opposite, when stressed my blood pressure plummets. I had complications after birth and was nearly climbing off the ceiling. When the midwife went to do my readings she commented that they would probably be off the scale, and she would have to take them later when I had calmed down. She was right they were off the scale but at the low level not the high level! I ended up having an ECG but as those readings were fine, they weren’t concerned.

I did have high bp after birth they prescribed meds and sent me home and I had to self monitor and tell community midwife. I did however refuse to stay any longer as had been in 5 days with infection already and had had enough

Would you consider a home birth?

I would say that people with white coat syndrome are not immune from pre-eclampsia, so if you need anyihypertensives and monitoring then go with it. Most likely you will be given medication and sent home for monitoring in the community after delivery unless your BP is through the roof.

Before birth, high blood pressure is a potential sign of preeclampsia which can be life-threatening, so they are incredibly keen to watch out for it and don't want it masked by white coat syndrome.

After birth, high blood pressure isn't great, but it's unlikely to be a risk to your life which is probably why people have found they don't seem as concerned about it.

You can also self-discharge if you want to and feel it is sensible. But they are going to want the bed so they are less likely to keep you in longer than they need to, even if a number on a chart isn't behaving the way they would like.

Take your own blood pressure machine and when your relaxed and on your own, take your blood pressure and take a pic of it so you can show them it’s normal

Solidarity! I’m in the same boat. It’s horrible.

I even manage to give myself white coat syndrome because the doctors have scared the living daylights out of me about it.

I plan to discharge myself as long as I have no preeclampsia symptoms.

OP I know this is old, but how did it go? Currently going through the same with the same worries!

Actually pre-eclampsia is still a risk after giving birth- there's a big jump in risk day 3-5 postnatally.

(I realise this thread is old but thought it important to correct this!)

Hello!

I ended up staying in hospital after my emergency section because my infection markers were up. We had around a 4 day stay. Doesn’t make the BP any better 😆

The first couple of days, they had me on a BP lowering drug, no idea what. I was given it during the section. Then after that, when they tried to do my obs, I asked them if my partner could do them instead. They did their rounds, then left the machine with us so I could get comfy and relax. He would surprise attack me when I wasn’t expecting it while watching lots of TikTok while baby was sleeping. A HCA tried to take my obs after I’d just fed my baby in a crossed legged position, stressed to the max because he wasn’t latching so I asked her if she could come back later.

So, the white coat syndrome didn’t go, at all. They were happy enough with my readings and other obs to let me home. Honestly, I think they need the beds 🤣 that isn’t to say they wouldn’t give you the best care possible, but in my experience they liked to get people in and out asap. I suppose if you/partner know how to use the BP machine, you can always ask. No harm in explaining your situation, I found when I did explain, at first they didn’t believe me but then when they saw the drop once my partner did it, they believed it! I also made sure that the day midwives, nurses and HCAs told the night staff in handover about my situation. They were super and very, very kind.

I hope that helps somewhat, or at least puts your mind at rest a little? Wishing you all the very best for a safe, healthy delivery and baby and wishing you get exactly what you want as your birth plan 🫶🏼