Gestational Hypertension

Azra Sultana^*
*Correspondence: Azra Sultana, National University of Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan, Email:

Introduction

High blood pressure during pregnancy is known as gestational hypertension. It affects roughly 3 out of every 50 pregnancies. This is not to be confused with persistent hypertension. When a woman has high blood pressure before becoming pregnant, she is said to have chronic hypertension. Preeclampsia and eclampsia are not the same thing. Gestational hypertension is defined as blood pressure that exceeds 140/90 mm Hg after 20 weeks of pregnancy and is documented on two or more times, at least four hours apart, without any other organ damage. When your blood pressure rises in the second half of your pregnancy, or sooner if you're expecting twins, you have gestational hypertension.
The resistance of blood arteries increases in people with high blood pressure. Many organ systems in the expecting mother's body, including the liver, kidneys, brain, uterus, and placenta, may be hampered as a result of this. Severe gestational hypertension (blood pressure readings more than 160/110 mm Hg) can lead to a variety of additional complications. In some pregnancies, placental abruption (the premature separation of the placenta from the uterus) can occur. Intrauterine growth restriction (slow foetal growth) and stillbirth can both be caused by gestational hypertension.

Symptoms

In the second half of pregnancy, elevated blood pressure is the most common symptom. However, some women show no signs or symptoms. High blood pressure during pregnancy can lead to a variety of complications. Preeclampsia is one of them. Keep an eye out for symptoms of high blood pressure. They may include the following:

•    Headache that doesn’t go away
•    Edema (swelling)
•    Sudden weight gain
•    Vision changes, such as blurred or double vision
•    Nausea or vomiting
•    Pain in the upper right side of your belly, or pain around your stomach
•    Making small amounts of urine

It's usual to have high blood pressure while pregnant. In the United States, up to 8% of pregnant women have high blood pressure, which commonly occurs during their first pregnancy. It's called gestational hypertension or pregnancy-induced hypertension if it starts while you're pregnant (PIH). The majority of women who suffer from gestational hypertension have healthy pregnancies and newborns. High blood pressure during pregnancy, on the other hand, can be an indication of other, far more dangerous illnesses. That's why it's critical to see your doctor early and regularly to keep you and your baby healthy.

The purpose of evolutionary medicine is to identify cures for diseases that are based on the disease's evolutionary history. The relationship between gestational hypertension and insulin resistance during pregnancy has been proposed. Both an increase in blood sugar and an increase in blood pressure, which can lead to gestational diabetes and gestational hypertension, are processes that mean to optimize the amount of nutrients that can be passed from maternal tissue to fetal tissue. Techniques used to address insulin sensitivity have been claimed to be advantageous to persons suffering from gestational hypertension. Avoiding obesity before pregnancy, minimising weight gain throughout pregnancy, consuming meals with low glycemic indexes, and exercising are all ways to avoid insulin resistance.