Postpartum Hypertension
Postpartum hypertension is high blood pressure after pregnancy that remains higher than normal for more than two days after delivery. You may not realize you have postpartum hypertension if it is not being checked regularly. In some cases, postpartum hypertension will go away on its own, usually within a week of delivery. However, for some women, medical treatment is required to prevent serious complications, such as seizures or stroke.
The following things can affect your blood pressure:
• The type of delivery you had.
• If you received IV fluids or other medicines during or after delivery.
CAUSES
Postpartum hypertension may be caused by any of the following, alone or in combination with one another:
• Hypertension
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The cause may also be unknown.
RISK FACTORS
Postpartum hypertension can be related to one or more risk factors, such as:
• Chronic hypertension. In some cases, this may not have been diagnosed before pregnancy.
• Obesity.
• Type 2 diabetes.
• Kidney disease.
• Family history of preeclampsia.
• Other medical conditions that cause hormonal imbalances.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
As with all types of hypertension, postpartum hypertension may not have any symptoms. Depending on how high your blood pressure is, you may experience:
• Headaches. These may be mild, moderate, or severe. They may also be steady, constant, or sudden in onset (thunderclap headache).
• Visual changes.
• Dizziness.
• Shortness of breath.
• Swelling of the hands, feet, lower legs, or face. In some cases, you may have swelling in more than one of these locations.
• Heart palpitations or a racing heartbeat.
• Difficulty breathing while lying down.
• Decreased urination.
• Other rare signs and symptoms may include:
○ Sweating more than usual. This lasts longer than a few days after delivery.
○ Chest pain.
○ Sudden dizziness when getting up from sitting or lying down.
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• Get regular exercise once your health care provider tells you it is safe.
• Follow your health care provider’s recommendations on fluid and salt restrictions.
• Do not use any tobacco products including cigarettes, chewing tobacco, or electronic cigarettes. If you need help quitting, ask your health care provider.
• Keep all follow-up visits as directed by your health care provider. This is important.
SEEK MEDICAL CARE IF:
• Your symptoms get worse.
• You have new symptoms, such as:
○ Headache.
○ Dizziness.
○ Visual changes.
SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL CARE IF:
• You develop a severe or sudden headache.
• You have seizures.
• You develop numbness or weakness on one side of your body.
• You have difficulty thinking, speaking, or swallowing.
• You develop severe abdominal pain.
• You develop difficulty breathing, chest pain, a racing heart beat, or heart palpitations.
These symptoms may represent a serious problem that is an emergency. Do not wait to see if the symptoms will go away. Get medical help right away. Call your local emergency services (911 in the U.S.). Do not drive yourself to the hospitaL.
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SEEK MEDICAL CARE IF: You develop increased pain or swelling in the area. You have trouble walking or difficulty with normal activity. You have a fever.
Without a doubt, the birth of a child in each family is a momentous event. Can you imagine if that joyful event turned into sadness and guilt and being withdrawn from your newborn baby? Postpartum depression is a serious illness that usually happens after the birth of a child. It is a type of depression that lasts for a long time. It affects not only the mom but also the father and the whole family as well.
The enlargement is due to the proliferating trophoblastic tissue and the large amounts of clotted blood (Davidson et al., 2012 p. 378). “Absence of fetal sounds in the presence of other signs of pregnancy is another classic sign of molar pregnancy” (Davidson et al., 2012 p. 378). Because of the continued secretion of the trophoblastic tissue, the hCG levels will be elevated. As a result of the elevated hCG levels Hyperemesis gravidarum may occur. Preeclampsia may be seen if the molar pregnancy continues into the second trimester.
A metallic taste in your mouth. Ringing in your ears. Increased anxiety. Sudden unexpected sleepiness. Blurred vision.
Loss of consciousness, tremors, clammy skin, and convulsions.
The manifestation, prevalence and management approaches to these conditions vary. Previous studies have shown that postpartum depression affects the mother-child relationship, mother-spouse relationship, as well as the cognitive development and behavior of the child. Although giving birth to a newborn brings joy to a parent, the occurrence of stressors has the potential for affecting parents immensely. These stressors are responsible for postpartum stress/depression and include; fatigue, soreness, baby feeding, high
Let's say you’re sitting on your couch watching your TV. You feel a slight burning in your chest, but dismiss it as nothing. You detect the stench of gas, think Is this coming from me? and start sweating. Suddenly you feel pain erupting in your chest and you double over and fall on the floor, groaning.
According to Postpartum Support International, “Postpartum Psychosis is a rare illness, compared to the rates of postpartum depression or anxiety. It occurs in approximately one to two out of every one thousand deliveries, or approximately .1% of births. The onset is usually sudden, most often within the first two weeks postpartum” (Postpartum Support International, 2009). There are many signs and symptoms that can
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If you lose a lot of blood during the delivery and become anemic, it may lead to many other infections and cause other complications. Many a times, it becomes very difficult to regain the blood that you have lost. This can affect your entire life. Though it is not very common, but at times, the mother may lose her life due to excessive loss of blood during delivery. It is very important to frequent blood tests during the pregnancy to check against anemia and eat a healthy diet so that so you always have enough iron.
Symptoms can also include seizures, headaches and fevers. “The potential for infection is high because many people have puncture
• Sudden weight gain over 1 or 2 days • Abdominal pain, especially in the upper right side • Severe headaches • A decrease in urine • Blurry vision, flashing lights, and floaters You can also have preeclampsia and not have any symptoms. That 's why it 's important to see your doctor for regular blood pressure checks and urine tests. PREVENTION Currently, there is no sure way to prevent preeclampsia. Some contributing factors to high blood pressure can be controlled and some can’t.
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Unfortunately, I’ve come to learn on a personal level that stress can cause havoc on a person’s body, especially while pregnant. While I was pregnant I was under a lot of stress with work. On the days that I was extremely stressed I would go home with horrible contractions. I agree with you there are many other ways to destress while pregnant that does not involve
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