How to Control High Blood Pressure during Pregnancy?

Do you know that approximately 10-15% of women have high Blood Pressure during pregnancy?  In how many forms does high blood pressure occur during pregnancy? High BP can sometimes even cause severe health complications for both mother and developing baby. Women who had high blood pressure before pregnancy are at higher risk for related complications during pregnancy than those with normal blood pressure. 

A blood pressure that is greater than 140/90 mm Hg, or that is 15 degrees higher on the top number from where you started out before pregnancy, may be cause for concern. Here we will tell you about these forms and methods to control high BP in pregnant women. 

High BP during pregnancy manifests in 3 different forms 

1. Chronic High BP 

It is a condition when woman has pre-existing high blood pressure or high BP before she gets pregnant. It is usually treated with blood pressure medication. Doctors also consider hypertension that occurs in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy to be chronic hypertension. 

2. Gestational High BP 

It develops after the 20th week of pregnancy. It usually resolves after delivery and the most common complication is induced labor. When diagnosed before 30 weeks, there’s a higher chance it will progress to pre-eclampsia. 

3. Chronic High BP with Superimposed Pre-eclampsia 

This situation arises when a woman has hypertension before she becomes pregnant and even experiences protein in her urine or additional complications as her pregnancy progresses. 

Home Remedies to Control high BP in Pregnancy 

1. Exercise 

Exercise during pregnancy helps make the delivery easier, manages pain better and helps with pregnancy based fatigue. 

30 min of exercise will help your body to remain healthy and help your immune system become stronger. Not to forget that exercise relaxes the muscles, tones your body and regulates blood flow.  

2. Limit Sodium Intake 

During pregnancy hormones are extremely imbalanced which hurts your immune system and also lowers the efficiency of your body’s natural functions. This means processing and digesting salt or salty foods becomes much more difficult and if the salt isn’t digested properly or is excessive in your diet, it can cause a spike in blood pressure. 

3. Avoid Junk Food 

Junk foods are packed with preservatives which is extremely unhealthy. It is better to avoid them when you are pregnant to remain healthy and control your blood pressure. 

4. Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) 

Consuming one tablespoon of ACV every day with a glass of warm water and honey is one of the healthiest ingredients which maintain a balanced cholesterol level. Not only this, but it also balances your blood pressure. Consuming unpasteurized ACV is considered extremely healthy. Though, undiluted ACV can be extremely acidic and can burn your oesophagus or food pipe and even damage your stomach. 

5. Eat a Healthy Diet 

Follow a healthy and nutritious diet rich in magnesium, potassium, vitamins and calcium. Include bananas and magnesium rich foods like avocados, tofu, almonds, soy milk in your diet.  Magnesium helps manage extreme blood pressure levels and maintains the integrity of the uterus during pregnancy by preventing from contracting prematurely. Eating 1-2 bananas daily is not only a digestive aid and natural laxative but also rich in potassium. Thus helps in maintaining a healthy blood pressure during pregnancy. 

6. Avoid Stress

Anxiety, depression, and stress are the main cause of high blood pressure. Pregnant women’s must listen to music for 30 min for at least 3 times a day. Slow music is recommended which is relaxing and soothing. One must practice prenatal yoga and prenatal massages to manage stress. Always remember high-stress levels leads to high BP. 

7. Say No to Smoke

Quit smoking when you are pregnant as the harmful effects of smoking is four times more during pregnancy.  It can lead to weight gain, cancer, anxiety, high BP and depression. 

8. Limit Alcohol

Avoid alcohol as much as you can as it can lead to several complications during pregnancy. Still if it is hard for you to avoid then 10 ml of wine a month is advisable. 

9. Avoid Caffeine 

It is one of the major causes of high BP. Therefore, it is advisable to limit or quit caffeine to maintain a normal BP. 

10. Be Positive 

Just let go of the worries and keep a smile on your face. Be positive and stay away from negative people. It will help you in maintaining a healthy BP. More positive you are, more positive and happy your baby will become.