Thread: Blood Pressure

At 8 weeks and 16 weeks (today) my BP has been 130/80 and 130/78 - with Molly is was never above 120/80 and mainly stuck around 90/60 and outside of pregnancy I have no idea what's normal for me.

I'm kind of concerned by my BP as it seems high. Nobody has said anything but I'm just not wanting it to get any higher, which these things tends to do in the latter stages of pregnancy.

So, I'm just wondering. Anyone else had this and it's gone down or, at least, stuck? Is BP a problem in late pregnancy if you have no other gings of pre eclampsia? Can it be so simple as my heart rate is always up at these appts these days as I have "white coat" issues?

There's no real reason why my BP should be raised at all. My diet's fine, for the most part. I am prone to stress/anxiety but no more than I was in my last pregnancy and not to any large extent. I can't really think what I could change?

I think as long as it stays relatively consistent they don't tend to worry too much. Mine did increase towards the end, and rocketed at my last appt before I went into labour and they tried to admit me - I suspect though that it was because when she did it, she was talking to me about having a sweep and being induced

I'm sure its quite normal for there to be an increase in pregnancy though?

I'm pretty sure it's only the bottom number (diastolic) that is a concern, and yours seems fine at 80 and 78. I think the top number (systolic) is more likely to fluctuate and isn't serious

You don't want to two numbers to be very close together either 90/60 is ok, AFAIK the low side of normal range. 130/80 is also fine but 90/80 or 130/120 would be an issue I think.

What @Kirsten has said.

It's higher than mine (100/60 today), but sounds like it's completely normal for YOU! I went up to 130/90 during my pregnancy with Sophie and they were concerned - but that's because it was high for me. They generally like it to be consistent for you so long as it's not off the charts - yours sounds normal to me

How garbled was that?!?!?! Lol!

Thanks ladies, I'm just going to assume that since both times I've been feeling pretty anxious about one thing or another and today I'd been exerting myself a lot, inc on the way there, that the top number probably isn't as representative as the bottom number.

Sounds normal to me, too. I used to have a ridiculously low bp, something like 90/50 and it went up to 130/80 by the end of my pregnancy and they started to be concerned as it was high for me. Ever since then I get anxious when they want to measure my bp. Last time it was 110/70 but I also had a pulse of 110
The MW was super nice and said not to worry.

i had my bp checked today firstly it was 60/58 averagly its 120/60 varies slightly but im sure it was lower during my pregnancy with Ells

the nurse said the bottom number is the one they worry the most about

Mine was 120/60 pretty much every single time I had it measured during my pregnancy. When I went overdue, it went to 155/105 (yes, I KNOW!) and then when I was sent in to be monitored, it went back down to 130/85 ish. As that was "high" for me and I was overdue, they kept an eye on me. I had NO other PE symptoms...I was monitored 4 times in 12 days. Stupid BP.

Even during labour it went high (I blame the cocking midwife) and after being given 1 BP tablet, it went down to 110/60 and stayed there for the rest of the labour. Never, ever had a problem before. I had no other signs of anything - not even a headache. My midwife said "we do expect the BP to go up at certain points - especially around 24 weeks ish - and possibly stay there but if it's high for you, then it's high for you . We only go on the comparisons we have from readings taken during the pregnancy, but not beforehand". Basically , 130/85 wasn't anything to worry about for someone else, but they kept an eye on me as I'm usually the 110/120 over 70 or 60 brigade...

White coat syndrome is very real. But if it's just that, your BP should remain at around the level you've shown today. And that could be very normal for you in pregnancy - it's not that high.

BUT, if it starts to climb, it's that which will make HCPs take notice. It's the change in your BP, not the absolute's that's key. If the trend if upwards and the absolutes are high, some action should be taken. If the absolutes are always "higher" but stable, it's not an issue.

PET is much more than high BP. You can have hypertension in pregnancy, which is "simply" high BP and very manageable (if uncomfortable). PET affects more systems of the body, and it's those effects that are dangerous.