39+5, diagnosed with high bp, taking medication. Do you rest or carry on as normal?

[HeinzSight]

Been thoroughly checked for pre-eclampsia, all OK there, but bp still high, went up on Sunday. I've been prescribed meds, but doctor yesterday told me to do lots of walking and eating curry to bring on labour.

Should I be walking around a lot or should I be taking it easy. I'm afraid to say the doc I saw at the hospital yesterday didn't fill me with much confidence!

I'm no expert but I would take it easy as rushing around can raise your BP. I also had high BP in the last 4 weeks of pregnancy and was eventually induced at 39+6 as I was starting to show early signs of pre eclampsia. Someone else may be along soon to offer some better advice but I am a bit of a doctor telling someone heavily pregnant and with high BP to do lots of walking

I was doing lots of about her yesterday!

anyone else?

bump

Rest. Walking around and eating curry will not help to bring on labour, it will just make you tired, and give you indigestion.

There is NO EVIDENCE that any of these things will bring on labour.

If your BP is high, you need to rest to improve the circulation through the placenta.

thank you, I'm glad I looked into this as I was keeping myself busy this morning hoovering and mopping!

I would say rest, I had high BP in late pregnancy and was told to stay at home and take it very easy. My doctor was a senior obstetrician at Queen Charlotte hospital so I trusted him completely.

I am actually very concerned that a doctor would give you that advice.............

I did rest last pg when I had raised BP. I'm not sure I'd do the same again though. I have since heard that often people with 24 hr BP monitors actually find their BP is lower when they are active (within reason of course). If the same happened again I'd do lots of research before simply following the rest advice. And I might consider getting hold of a monitor so I could find out what actually worked for me.

It isn't just the BP reading though, it is placental perfusion as well. I am not up to speed with the research, but I think it is important that Doctors explain clearly the rationale behind their advice, including the evidence.

I had high blood pressure for the last 4 weeks of pg with DS. I tried a variety of methods - resting, being gentle active, being more active. Nothing made any difference. I was due to be induced at 38+3 but DS came along that day anyway

I should clarify here that my high BP was the first symptom of pre eclampsia and my consultant said that rest was the only thing that would keep pre-eclampsia at bay. Most doctors including my GP and consultant advise women with high BP to rest, in case it was pre eclampsia, because there is a delay between the BP increasing and pre eclampsia being detected in the urine (in my case the BP increased week 32, pre eclampsia was detected week 36). I measured my BP myself BTW, and it was indeed high (160/100 before treatment). Rest will not do any harm this late in the pregnancy.