What is Gestational Hypertension?

There are some medical conditions that occur during pregnancy and go away just after the delivery of the baby; gestational hypertension is one of them. It is the occurrence of high blood pressure after the 20th week of pregnancy, and it is usually characterized as blood pressure that is higher than 140 over 90. Fortunately, the blood pressure usually stabilizes after the birth, and typically results in few problems if properly monitored by a doctor.

Some women get high blood pressure before week 20 of pregnancy, which is not considered gestational hypertension. Instead, it is called chronic hypertension. Others get high blood pressure as well as protein in their urine, which usually results in the serious condition of preeclampsia, often requiring the mother to have the baby early to avoid complications. Gestational hypertension does not involve protein in the urine, but unfortunately, many women who have this condition do go on to develop preeclampsia, especially if their blood pressure spikes between weeks 20 and 30.

The good news is that most women who suffer from gestational hypertension get it at about 37 weeks. This means that if the woman has to deliver the baby early, it is likely that few complications would arise. She may still have to be induced before 40 weeks, or have a cesarean section, but the result will usually be a healthy baby.

A woman who has gestational hypertension can expect to be monitored closely by her doctor since placental abruption, preterm labor, and stillbirth are all possible risks of having this condition. Therefore, most women with high blood pressure visit the doctor frequently to make sure it has not gotten higher, and that protein in the urine is not observed. Most women will likely be placed on bedrest or ordered to stay in the hospital if they have gestational hypertension before 34 weeks, especially if it is severe or has gotten worse over time. They will need to be given corticosteroid shots to make sure the baby's lungs are fully developed earlier, and the baby will likely be delivered as soon as the mother gets to 34 weeks.

In most cases, gestational hypertension will subside within a week after delivery of the baby. If it does not decrease within that timeframe, the mother may have chronic hypertension that was just never observed during the pregnancy. Fortunately, the baby will not be affected by this, and the mother can be monitored and treated by her doctor.