Changes in Blood Pressure.

At my last appointment my doctor said my blood pressure was up. Should I be concerned?
It's normal for your blood pressure to change a little during pregnancy. It often decreases a little during the 2nd trimester of pregnancy and increases toward the end of pregnancy.

What can I do about high blood pressure if it becomes a problem?
Resting in bed on your side can help. If your blood pressure remains elevated, medication may be necessary to lower it.

My sister had pregnancy-induced hypertension. What is it?
Pregnancy-induced hypertension is high blood pressure that occurs only during pregnancy. It will disappear after the baby is born. It develops in about 3% of women under age 40, and in 10% of women over 40.

What can be done about pregnancy-induced hypertension?
It is treated with bed rest, drinking lots of fluid and avoiding salt and roods containing large amounts of sodium. Medications to lower blood pressure may be prescribed. Hypertension can also be a symptom of pre-eclampsia.

I feel dizzy a lot. Should I worry?
Feeling dizzy while you're pregnant is a fairly common symptom. Anemia can cause dizziness any time during pregnancy and can be checked with a blood count. Another cause of dizziness is hypotension (low blood pressure). Hypotension in pregnancy usually occurs during the 2nd trimester.

What causes hypotension in pregnancy?
There are two causes.

The enlarging uterus puts pressure on large blood vessels, such as your aorta and vena cava. This is called supine hypotension and may occur when you lie down. Don't lie on your back, especially after 16 weeks.
The second cause is rising rapidly from a sitting, kneeling or squatting position, called postural hypotension. When you rise rapidly, gravity causes blood to leave your brain, which may result in a drop in blood pressure. Avoid the problem by rising slowly from a sitting or lying position.

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