Posts
Yesterday I went back the doctor office for my pregnancy checking. This time, my blood pressure was 160/72, such a high number that both the nurse and I got surprised. So she asked me to lie down on my left side and rest. She will come back to check me again 10 minuets later.
I was quite upset that my blood pressure was still rising.
10 minutes later, the nurse came back. This time, my blood pressure was 134/72. Both of us were relieved.
I was so nervous about my blood pressure, because I really don’t want to have PIH (Pregnancy-induced hypertension, preeclampsia, also called toxemia) at this time.
According to
What to Expect When You're Expecting: 4th Edition
the ultimate treatment in most PIH cases is delivery.
For mild preeclampsia, the treatment is aimed at lowering blood pressure, such as diet, exercise, stress reduction and medication if needed. If at any point the mother’s condition worsens, indicated by any dangerous sign such as severe headache, visual disturbances, rapid heartbeat, pr upper right or mid-abdominal pain, emergency medical attention is needed immediately. Eventually, the only “cure” is delivery.
If the mother is near the term and the baby is not in acute distress, labor will probably be induced. If the fetus is preterm, but at least 28 weeks old, many doctors will still choose to deliver immediately because they believe it is the best for both mother (in order to normalize her blood pressure and improve her general condition) and the baby (who will be better off continuing growth in a neonatal intensive care unit than in the less than hospital environment in its mother’s uterus).
I don’t want my baby to be preterm. So even she is 29-30 weeks old, I still urgently wish my condition get improved so that she doesn’t need to come out earlier. I will keep my fingers crossed and think positive thoughts everyday!
Pregnancy is different for every woman, but if diagnosed with preeclampsia it can be miserable, even fatal. Experiencing symptoms like high blood pressure, swelling (particularly in the hands and feet), sudden weight gain, headaches, sudden onset of nausea or vomiting after the first trimester, changes in vision, or stomach and/or right shoulder pain, could mean preeclampsia. But it’s often diagnosed too late, with the only “cure” being delivery. Women are often put on bed-rest for the remainder of their pregnancy and may deliver prematurely. However, there is a new test that can prevent complications from preeclampsia and help your pregnancy to full term: the MIST test. This is a non-invasive test given between the 16 and 20 weeks of pregnancy and can determine whether or not you will develop preeclampsia and will then be able to take proper precautions. Give yourself peace of mind and ask your doctor today for the MIST test. Visit http://www.misttechnologies.com/ for more information.
Comment by Mindy — April 4, 2008 @ 9:47 am
Thanks, Mindy! Luckily, PIH didn’t hurt me and baby. Although I was induced because of PIH, the baby was completely healthy and is doing very well!
Mommy
Comment by mommy — September 11, 2008 @ 10:50 am