High blood pressure during pregnancy occurs in 6 to 8 percent of all pregnancies in the United States. Although many women who experience hypertension while pregnant have healthy babies without serious problems, the condition can be dangerous for both the mother and the fetus. High blood pressure during pregnancy may take the form of preeclampsia or eclampsia, chronic hypertension, chronic hypertension with preeclampsia, or gestational hypertension.
High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy: An Introduction
Blood pressure is a measure of the pressure inside your blood vessels -- both while the heart is beating and while it is relaxed -- so, of course,
high blood pressure occurs when the pressure within your blood vessels is too high. This is also known as
hypertension.
Women can develop high blood pressure during pregnancy, as can women who are not pregnant. However, women who are pregnant can develop a couple of different types of high blood pressure and their effects can differ.
Types of High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
Women may experience several different types of high blood pressure during pregnancy. These include:
Causes of High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
- Brain
- Kidneys
- Retina
- Liver
- Placenta.
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