How to Avoid Pregnancy - Induced Hypertension (PIH) on The Pregnant Women?

Understand about the signs as much as you can so that you can easily recognize the condition and seeking treatment to prevent the worsening of pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH). Early diagnose and identify pregnancy-induced hypertension decreases the risk and it very helpful to avoid the number of the complications of the pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH).

The following are some suggestions for you to do:

• Get enough rest
• Put very little or no added salt in your meals
• Use little or no added salt in your meals
• Drink at least 8 glasses of water daily
• Add high fiber to your meals.
• Avoid eating a lot of fried foods and junk food.
• Avoid drinking alcohol.
• Exercise regularly such as perform smooth stretching exercises of your legs, feet, arms and hands to increase circulation and muscle tone.
• Involve family member to help with laundry, shopping and preparing the nursery.
• Keep your mind relax by watching TV, reading a magazine, using laptop for online correspondence, listening to the music, etc..
• Keep a cordless phone or your cell phone near the bed to call family and friends.
• Elevate your feet several times during the day.
• Avoid drinking alcohol and beverages containing caffeine.

All of these sensations can be caused by other disorders; they can also occur in healthy pregnancies. Routine checkup with your doctor can control  your blood pressure and level of protein in your urine, to order and analyze blood tests that detect signs of pregnancy-induced hypertension, and to monitor fetal development more accurate.

If you are concerned that you have signs and symptoms that might be related to pregnancy-induced hypertension or PIH, please contact your care provider as soon as possible.

How does Pregnancy - Induced Hypertension Hurt Me and My Baby?

Pregnancy - induced hypertension (PIH) can prevent the placenta from having sufficient blood. If the placenta doesn't have adequate blood, the baby has not enough oxygen and food. Finally, the baby will have low birth weight.

In addition, pregnancy - induced hypertension can have serious condition for both mother and the baby in their womb. For the mother, Pregnancy - induced hypertension can cause convulsive phase, kidney and liver problems, blood clotting, encephalopathy, Vasospasms (the contracting and relaxing of your blood vessels) leading to severe ischemia or hemorrhage, and early delivery.



For the baby, pregnancy-induced hypertension can cause the placenta from receiving enough blood or placental abruption. Placental abruption refers to the process of the placenta tearing away from the uterus, causing bleeding and complications for mother and baby which can cause the baby to have low birth weight.

It is also one of the leading causes of premature births and the difficulties that can accompany them, including learning disabilities, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and hearing and vision problems.These are the reasons of the importance to have regular checkup with your doctor concerning the risks of pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH).

Who are at risk for Pregnancy Induced Hypertension?

Pregnancy Induced Hypertension is common in first-time pregnancies and in pregnant teens and women over 40. Other risk factors include:

• Women whose sisters and mothers had  at risk for pregnancy induced hypertension.
• Previous history of pregnancy induced hypertension.
• Women carrying more than one baby,teenage mothers, and women older than age 40
• Previous history of pregnancy induced hypertension.
• Women who had hypertension or kidney disease prior to pregnancy
• A history of high blood pressure prior to pregnancy.
• A first-time mother.
• A history of pregnancy induced hypertension in mother or sisters.
• Obesity prior to pregnancy.
• History of diabetes, kidney disease, lupus, or rheumatoid arthritis.

Signs and Symptoms of Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension

The following are signs and symptoms of pregnancy-induced hypertension :

• Having very bad pain over your stomach (belly) or under your ribs.
• Swelling of your ankles or feet that does not go away after resting for 12 hours.
• Sudden swelling of your face, hands, or feet.
• Being 20 or more weeks pregnant with a blood pressure that is 140/90 or higher.
• Blurry vision (cannot see clearly).
• Breathing problems.
• Decrease in volume of urine .
• Feeling very sluggish.
• Gaining weight 3 to 5 pounds (1.4 kg to 2.3 kg) in 1 week (7 days).
• Ringing or buzzing sound in ears
• Severe headaches.
• Vomiting.
• Seeing spots in your eyes or having light flashes before your eyes.
• Excessive swelling of your face, hands, or feet.
• Swelling of your ankles or feet that does not go away after resting for 12 hours.
• Swelling of your face, hands, or feet.
• Excessive nausea
• Dizziness
• Rapid heartbeat
• Fever

Causes of Pregnancy - Induced Hypertension

The cause of pregnancy-induced hypertension is unknown. Several conditions may lead the risk of developing pregnancy-induced hypertension, including the following:

• Pregnancy-induced hypertension with a previous pregnancy.
• Genetic. We may have pregnancy-induced hypertension from our mother.
• Diet. It could happen when our diets lack of zinc, calcium, protein, or total calories in the food you are eating.
• Mother's age younger than 20 or older than 40.
• Placenta problems. The placenta is also called "afterbirth." That is the tissue (like skin) that joins you to your baby.
• Immune system.
• Diabetes mellitus
• Pre-existing hypertension (high blood pressure).
• Multiple fetuses (twins, triplets).
• Kidney disease such CRF (Chronic Renal Failure)

Management of Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension

The management of pregnancy - induced hypertension (PIH)  using antihypertensive drug therapy remains contentious. Specific treatment for pregnancy-induced hypertension will be determined by your physician based on treatment for pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH).

These are several management of  pregnancy-induced hypertension :

• Bedrest (either at home or in the hospital may be recommended).
• Magnesium sulfate (or other antihypertensive medications for pregnancy-induced hypertension.
• Hospitalization (as specialized personnel and equipment may be necessary).
• Fetal monitoring (to check the health of the fetus when the mother has pregnancy-induced hypertension) may include:
• Fetal movement monitoring, keeping track of fetal kicks and movements. A change in the number or frequency may lead the fetus is under stress.
• Nonstress testing - a test that measures the fetal heart rate in response to the fetus' movements.
• Observation with ultrasound to observe the fetus.
• Doppler flow studies - type of ultrasound that uses sound waves to measure the flow of blood through a blood vessel.
• Check for laboratory testing of urine and blood (for changes that may signal worsening of Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension).
• Medications, called corticosteroids, that may help mature the lungs of the fetus (lung immaturity is a major problem of premature babies).
• Delivery, either by labor induction or Caesarean section. 

Post-partum pregnancy-induced hypertension is dangerous to the health of the mother since she may ignore or dismiss symptoms as simple post-delivery headaches and edema.

However, post-partum pregnancy-induced hypertension may occur up to six weeks following delivery even if symptoms were not present during the pregnancy.

Delivery of the baby (if treatments do not control  pregnancy-induced hypertension or if the fetus or mother is in danger). Cesarean delivery may be recommended, in some cases.