Knowing the signs of high blood pressure in pregnancy could save your life

At Hill Country OB/GYN, our Austin and Dripping Springs women’s health experts support our patients through various life stages, including pregnancy and childbirth. For our patients, this time is often spent decorating the nursery, stocking up on diapers, picking out names and attending regular prenatal visits with your OBGYN. These routine visits are an important part of the preparation because they allow our doctors to monitor our patients and watch for any pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia.

What is preeclampsia?

Preeclampsia presents any time after the 20th week through the post-partum period and is marked by persistent high blood pressure, protein in the urine, decreased platelet levels in the blood, and increased liver enzymes. Because most patients who develop this condition initially have normal readings and levels, we take your blood pressure and collect a urine sample during every monthly OBGYN visit. Treating these pregnancy complications as soon as possible enables our Austin and Dripping Springs women’s health experts to protect both mother and baby.

What are signs to look for during pregnancy?

Often, our patients don’t exhibit any visible signs of high blood pressure. In many cases, our doctors discover preeclampsia during a routine prenatal appointment. Common symptoms may include the following.

  • High levels of protein in urine

  • Elevated liver enzymes

  • Severe headaches

  • Blurred vision, temporary vision loss or sensitivity to light

  • Nausea and vomiting

  • Pain in the upper abdomen

  • Sudden edema or weight gain

Pregnancy complications can arise with persistent high blood pressure

While preeclampsia occurs in 5% to 8% of all pregnancies and is the most common hypertensive disorder to develop during pregnancy, other pregnancy complications can also occur.

Gestational hypertension manifests in women who have high blood pressure after 20 weeks gestation, but no problems related to the kidneys and liver. HELLP syndrome, the most severe form, develops in 5% to 12% of patients with the condition, affecting the liver and the blood’s ability to clot.

How do we treat preeclampsia?

In caring for our preeclamptic patients, we focus on careful monitoring of the patient and unborn baby, with the goal of continuing the pregnancy as long as possible. You will likely have more frequent appointments, which include additional blood draws, urinalyses and sonograms. In serious cases, your doctor may order an extended hospital stay or schedule delivery as soon as possible.

Proper prenatal care protects you and your baby. Keeping up with your routine appointments allows our Austin and Dripping Springs Women’s Health experts to closely track your pregnancy, identify any concerns early, and support a healthy delivery. Contact our office for more information.