Pregnancy-induced hypertension, or hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, are conditions that cause high blood pressure during pregnancy or recently new mothers up to the first six weeks after delivery.
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Pregnancy-induced hypertension, also known as peripartum hypertension, is an umbrella term that includes gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy affect up to 15% of women.
If you were diagnosed with high blood pressure before or during pregnancy—or experienced preeclampsia or gestational hypertension during pregnancy—you are at a higher risk for high blood pressure after pregnancy.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a serious, and often silent, condition. It can lead to medical complications and even death when untreated. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy account for nearly 10% of all maternal deaths within 42 days after having a baby.
During pregnancy, the heart works harder to produce enough blood for the mother and baby. Problems with high blood pressure (also called hypertension) can occur before or during pregnancy, or up to six months after delivery. Left untreated, hypertension can lead to an increased risk of organ damage, vision loss, heart attack, heart disease, and stroke.
Preeclampsia happens in about one in 20 pregnancies. It is characterized by high blood pressure and high protein levels in the urine or organ damage, and can occur at any time during pregnancy or postpartum (see below). Women who have preeclampsia during pregnancy are at higher risk of developing postpartum hypertension.
In rare cases, preeclampsia can continue after giving birth, or it can even start in women who did not suffer with hypertension during pregnancy. Postpartum preeclampsia should be carefully monitored and treated -- it can lead to serious health problems and even death.
Gestational hypertension is high blood pressure that begins in the second or third trimester. It usually goes away after the baby is delivered but can continue for weeks to months after giving birth.
Doctors are not certain what causes postpartum hypertension. However, certain risk factors may increase your likelihood of developing high blood pressure after giving birth.
Breastfeeding is recommended for all women and does not lead to postpartum hypertension. Breastfeeding is safe if you’ve had a hypertensive disorder, and in fact may help reduce hypertension according to the CDC. Most medications used to treat high blood pressure during pregnancy or postpartum are safe for use during breastfeeding but be certain to discuss this with your doctor or midwife.
While any new mother can develop high blood pressure during pregnancy, these factors can increase your risk:
Like all high blood pressure disorders, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and related problems can lead to immediate and long-term medical problems. These include organ damage, vision loss, heart disease, seizures, stroke, and even death. But with early diagnosis, medical care, and lifestyle changes, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy can be effectively treated and managed.
Pregnancy-induced hypertension, or postpartum hypertension is defined as high blood pressure (systolic pressure at or above 140 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure at or above 90 mm Hg) after delivery.
Severe hypertension can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Seek emergency care if you are having any of these symptoms:
Call your doctor to discuss your symptoms if you are a new mother experiencing:
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are more likely to affect women who have experienced high blood pressure or related problems, like preeclampsia, during pregnancy. But it can happen to any woman, which is why regular blood pressure readings are key to its diagnosis and treatment.
After your baby’s delivery, your doctor will ask that you continue taking blood pressure readings once or twice a day. This will help your doctor identify your patterns of high blood pressure.
As part of a diagnosis, your doctor will also assess you for risks, including:
If you experience ongoing high blood pressure after delivery, you may need blood and urine tests to help your doctor confirm your condition. You also may require tests to evaluate your heart, such as an electrocardiogram (EKG), echocardiogram, or a stress test.
It is important to meet regularly with your obstetrician or family doctor after having your baby so your blood pressure and other vitals can be monitored. You should also check your own blood pressure at least once or twice a day.
Because hypertension can continue long after having a baby, women who are diagnosed with high blood pressure before, during, or after pregnancy should follow up regularly with their provider.
Pregnancy-induced hypertension can last up to six months after delivery, which is why early diagnosis and treatment offer the best possible care and outcomes.
By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2024-10-01.
