High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy Specialists

If you already have or develop high blood pressure during your pregnancy, there’s no cause for immediate alarm, but there’s reason to monitor you more closely. The OB/GYNs at Capital Women’s Care understand the implications of high blood pressure during pregnancy and work with their patients in Rockville and Silver Spring, Maryland to keep their numbers in check. To learn more about this condition, call to schedule an appointment.

​Rockville: 301-424-3444

Silver Spring: 301-593-5595

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High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy FAQs

What is high blood pressure?

It’s helpful to step back and review what the numbers on from your blood pressure test measure to understand how high blood pressure can impact your pregnancy. Every time one of the medical staff measures your blood pressure, there are two numbers:

• Systolic: the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart beats
• Diastolic: the pressure in those blood vessels in between beats

Your blood pressure indicates how hard your heart is beating and the force of the blood against the walls of your blood vessels.
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A normal blood pressure is 120/80 or less. An elevated blood pressure, or prehypertension, is between 120-139 over 80-89. High blood pressure is anything over 140/90.

What causes high blood pressure during pregnancy?

There are many reasons why you may have high blood pressure during your pregnancy, including:

Gestational hypertension
Your blood pressure becomes elevated after your 20th week of pregnancy. Gestational hypertension may develop into preeclampsia but not always.

Chronic high blood pressure
You entered pregnancy with pre-existing high blood pressure.
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High blood pressure with superimposed preeclampsia
This occurs when you enter pregnancy with existing high blood pressure and develop preeclampsia after your 20th week of pregnancy.

Preeclampsia
A condition that typically comes on in your 20th week of pregnancy and is usually signaled by high blood pressure and potential damage to your organs.
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How is high blood pressure treated?

There’s no one solution for high blood pressure during pregnancy, and the OB/GYNs treat each case differently, depending on the severity of the condition and how far along you are.

If your numbers are only slightly elevated, and your baby isn’t fully developed, your obstetrician will help you control your numbers with medication, rest recommendations, and dietary changes.

If your numbers continue to climb and you’re not ready to deliver, your obstetrician recommends you go on total bed rest, and they monitor you carefully. If your baby is at or near term, the obstetrician may recommend delivery in order to avoid any further complications.

Wherever you fall in terms of high blood pressure numbers, be sure to stick to your prenatal visits so the doctor can keep a watchful eye on your health and the health of your baby.

For vigilant high blood pressure management during your pregnancy, call Capital Women's Care to book an appointment.
​​​​​​​​Rockville: 301-424-3444 | Silver Spring: 301-593-5595