How high is high blood pressure when pregnant?

[aswellasyou]

I've been to see the nurse today and asked her to check my blood pressure as I was previously told it was a bit high compared to most pregnant women's. It was around 140/80 before but today it was 153/88. I have to go back on Friday so she'll check it again then but she was 'too busy' to talk to me about it today. I assume I will be tested for protein in my urine at my next midwife appointment in 3 weeks.

I just wondered if anyone knew how high is considered dangerous. Assuming I don't have protein in my urine, is it still dangerous to be this high?

I'm especially worried about this because I'm moving back to my home city in June/July and don't want to end up hospitalised where I am now with very few friends and no family around.

I hope someone has some information for me.

As well as pre-eclampsia, there is a condition called Pregnancy Induced Hypertension, where "all" you have is high blood pressure (no protein in urine, no pre-eclampsia). It can still be a worry and may mean you need inducing to avoid the risk of complications.

I had pre eclampsia 15 years ago and was told that it's not necessary how high the bottom figure is. It is how high in relation to your booking in figure. The bottom shouldn't go up by more than 20.

My booking in was 70 at 32 weeks it went up to 105 without any protein, but I did have odema. It settled back at 90 -95 but I was not allowed to go home because it didn't go down below 90.

I was in hospital until i was induced at 38 weeks. That weekend I did get protein in my urine and my bottom pressure went up to 125!
As soon as DS was born it went back down to 75.

Tinasan I hadn't realised it was usually a much later thing. I know it's easy to say but I'm really not anxious when I have my BP taken.
japhrimel I'll make sure I'm prepared a few weeks early then , just in case.
bruffin It's only 11 higher than my booking in BP so I suppose that's why noone's done anything about it so far.
I feel less bothered about it now I've had time to stop being so surprised about it. I'm sure there's nothing for me to worry about-it'll only make it worse after all!
Thanks everyone.

I've just had bloods taken for pre-eclampsia as there have been traces of protein in my urine from time to time, and apparently the strange silvery wormy things I've been seeing from time to time count as "visual disturbances" (I hadn't thought to mention it ).

Interestingly though my blood pressure was back down to 110/80 when the MW took it yesterday. UNTIL we'd discussed the delivery, when the diastolic was up to 92. When the GP took my bp last week he'd just been talking to me about getting to the hospital for the delivery. A link? I think so!

Bruffin, I think you find that it has now changed. Anything over /90 is a concern, regardless of booking in BP.

I went to see a nurse again today. It was a different woman and she was very reassuring and thorough. My blood pressure was 120/72 this time! She said the electric machine the last nurse used isn't fantastic and used a manual one instead. I think I probably was a bit stressed at the time (Tuesday) because I had to hand in a big project on Wednesday and at that point it wasn't finished yet. However, there's a chance I have a UTI. Crap! Why can't pregnancy just be uncomplicated and stress-free?!