No matter what your age, or gender, it is always tough to deal with hypertension. If left untreated, high blood pressure can cause many health problems. Heart disease, kidney damage, sleep apnea, there are many diseases which high blood pressure is directly or indirectly responsible for.
If you are pregnant, your GP advises you to keep your blood pressure in check.
Effects of hypertension during pregnancy
High blood pressure during pregnancy is also known as gestational hypertension. It can cause serious damage to mother and child. Various studies, including the one done by the American Pregnancy Association (APA), suggest that more than 5% of women experience gestational hypertension during pregnancy.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), gestational hypertension is most likely to occur after the first 20 weeks of pregnancy are complete.
High blood pressure during this stage of pregnancy, may increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney damage. It can also restrict the supply of oxygen, blood, and nutrients to the fetus, leading to fetal growth restrictions.
Other severe complications caused by gestational hypertension include preeclampsia, cesarean birth, and preterm labour.
American Pregnancy Association (APA) recommends every pregnant woman to do following things:
- Eat a low-salt diet that includes sufficient proteins
- Drink lots of water
- Exercise regularly
- Get sufficient rest
- Elevate your feet several times a day
Gestational hypertension and menopause
A new study published in Menopause: The Journal of the North American Menopause Society says that women who suffer from Gestational hypertension are likely to face severe symptoms of menopause. The researchers came to this conclusion after examining the medical records of 2,684 women. All these women were aged 40 to 65. These women sought medical consultations regarding menopause and other associated symptoms between May 2015 and September 2019.
The researchers found that women who had gestational hypertension experienced more bothersome menopausal symptoms, like hot flashes and night sweats, as compared to women who had no history of hypertension at all.
It also showed that women with hypertension who went through hormone therapy also reported more severe menopause symptoms.
However, the researchers could not establish any direct link between gestational hypertension and severe symptoms faced by women during menopause, but evidences they gathered suggest that pregnant women must keep their blood pressure under control during pregnancy.