High Blood Pressure Drugs During Pregnacy

Although many women cringe at the thought of taking any kind of prescription medication during pregnancy, blood pressure drugs are sometimes necessary. Untreated high blood pressure during your pregnancy can be dangerous for both you and your baby, so here's some information to help you decide whether taking high blood pressure medication during pregnancy is the right thing to do.

Significance

Risks of untreated high blood pressure include higher odds of growth restriction to the baby, increased risk of a stillbirth and preterm delivery, and higher odds of developing pre-eclampsia.

Function

High blood pressure drugs may relax blood vessels or change the chemical composition of the blood as a way to reduce the pressure of the blood against the blood vessel walls.

Types

Your doctor will determine the correct blood pressure medication for your situation, but the most commonly used anti-hypertensive during pregnancy is methyldopa, as it appears to be safe. In conditions not responsive to methyldopa, doctors may use other categories of medications.

Warning

There are some types of blood pressure drugs, specifically ACE inhibitors, that should not be used during pregnancy, as they can be dangerous to the baby. If you are taking blood pressure drugs and discover you are pregnant, contact a doctor as soon as possible (but don't stop taking your blood pressure medication until the doctor tells you to do so).

Prevention/Solution

Having a healthy diet and exercising regularly can reduce--but not eliminate--your odds of developing high blood pressure during pregnancy.

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