Is pregnancy-induced hypertension serious?
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Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) can have serious repercussions for both you and your child. For the mother, PIH can cause seizures, kidney and liver problems, blood clotting, and early delivery. For the child, PIH can cause improper nutrition or placental abruption. Placental abruption refers to the process of the placenta tearing away from the uterus, causing bleeding and complications for mother and child. This is why it is so important to have regular checkups with your doctor concerning your risk of various pregnancy complications including PIH.
Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) can have serious repercussions for both you and your child. For the mother, PIH can cause seizures, kidney and liver problems, blood clotting, and early delivery. For the child, PIH can cause improper nutrition... More -
Dr. Deborah Raines of Honor Society of Nursing (STTI) answered:Pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) can have serious consequences for both the woman and the fetus. For the woman the hypertension can result in damage to the kidneys, liver, and heart. If the hypertension is not controlled, the continued excessive pressure in the cerebral vascular structures can result in a stroke. The woman with PIH may also experience seizures or placental abruption with hemorrhage which may be life-threatening. For the fetus, maternal hypertension decreases placental perfusion and may leads to intrauterine growth retardation, poor oxygen perfusion to the fetus and the possibility of intrauterine death. The only cure is ending the pregnancy, therefore the fetus is often born prematurely and faces all the risks of being born too early.
Pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) can have serious consequences for both the woman and the fetus. For the woman the hypertension can result in damage to the kidneys, liver, and heart. If the hypertension is not controlled, the continued... More -
Paula Greer answered:Pregnancy induced hypertension often shortened to PIH can be dangerous for both mom and the unborn baby. It usually starts in the second trimester and is characterized by high blood pressures and protein in the urine. Pregnant women often complain of swelling, sudden weight gain, headaches, visual changes, and pain in the upper abdominal or epigastric area. We don't know what causes it but we do know that women under 20 or over 40 are more at risk as are women with vitamin d deficiencies, hypertension or diabetes prior to pregnancy, a history of migraines, obesity of a family history of PIH. Having a UTI or periodontal disease during pregnancy can also increase the risk. There are some theories that PIH might be caused by an autoimmune reaction in the placenta from mom’s immune system and dads foreign proteins. The danger comes from the elevation of the blood pressure which can cause damage to mom’s kidneys and liver as well as cause the baby to not grow as well and potentially need to be delivered prematurely. One of the biggest fears is placental abruption where the placenta detaches from the wall of the uterus which is an immediate problem for mom and baby and a medical emergency. The only real cure for this condition is delivery. If PIH is suspected but mom is stable she is usually placed on bed rest and monitored closely for the rest of the pregnancy. She may even be given steroids to help the babies lungs mature more quickly in case delivery needs to happen before the baby would be ready on its own.
Pregnancy induced hypertension often shortened to PIH can be dangerous for both mom and the unborn baby. It usually starts in the second trimester and is characterized by high blood pressures and protein in the urine. Pregnant women often... More
