High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy

Author: Dr. Vrolijk   |   Updated: August 23, 2025   |   Disclaimer   |   Review Process   |   References

Author: Dr. Vrolijk   

Updated: August 23, 2025   

Disclaimer   |   Review Process   |   References

High blood pressure during pregnancy can feel scary. You might be checking your numbers constantly, worried about every headache, or confused about what your doctor told you.

This page explains when to get care right away, the different kinds of high blood pressure during pregnancy, and why blood pressure control is important.

When to Get Help

Get Medical Care Right Away if You

  1. Are pregnant for 20+ weeks or gave birth in the last 6 weeks
  2. And have any of the following:
    • Sudden worse swelling of feet, face or hands
    • Headache that will not go away 
    • Seeing spots, things looking blurry, or other problems with seeing
    • Pain in the top part of your belly
    • Pain in your shoulder that feels different than normal
    • Feeling like you’re going to throw up or throwing up (after you are pregnant 20 weeks or more)
    • Trouble breathing
    • Very high blood pressure (160/110 or higher)
    • Any other concerning symptoms

These can be symptoms of a serious condition called preeclampsia. People with preeclampsia need quick treatment. If you’re not sure or worried at all, talk to a doctor as soon as possible. It can be hard to know if it’s normal or not. And it’s better to call and find out everything is okay than to wait too long to get help.

Call Your Doctor if

  • You have 2 or more blood pressure readings where either number is 140/90 or higher
  • Other symptoms or questions that aren’t emergencies
Preeclampsia

When to Get Help

Helps Your Baby By

  • Supporting healthy growth and development
  • Helping them stay in the womb until they’re ready
  • Supporting normal heart development

Helps You By

  • Keeping your blood sugar levels stable during pregnancy
  • Increasing chances of a vaginal delivery when possible
  • Reducing risks during and after birth
  • Lowering the chance of developing preeclampsia

Types of High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy

Pregnancy puts extra work on your heart and blood vessels. Your body makes about 30-40% more blood to support your growing baby. Your heart has to pump harder, and your blood vessels have to carry more blood than usual. This extra work means blood pressure control is especially important during pregnancy.

High Blood Pressure Before or in Early Pregnancy

Called Chronic Hypertension

What the name means:

  • Chronic = Long-lasting (usually 3+ months)
  • Hypertension = High blood pressure

What it is: High blood pressure that started before you got pregnant or during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy.

High Blood Pressure Before or in Early Pregnancy

Gestational Hypertension

What the name means:

  • Gestational = During pregnancy
  • Hypertension = High blood pressure

What it is: High blood pressure that starts after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Gestational Hypertension

Preeclampsia

What the name means:

  • Pre = Before
  • Eclampsia = Serious condition that includes seizures

What it is: A serious condition where organs like your kidneys or liver are affected during pregnancy. Usually includes high blood pressure. Can start as early as 20 weeks of pregnancy or after giving birth.

Preeclampsia

Quick Answers

Sometimes but it can be hard to do. You have to make major lifestyle changes. For example, eating different foods and exercising. Blood pressure medicine can protect your body while you make these changes. Then, you can take less medicine when it goes down from the lifestyle changes.

Not everyone can lower their blood pressure enough with lifestyle changes. Some people’s bodies don’t respond as much even when they do everything right. This is usually caused by things like genetics that we can’t control.

Most people need to keep taking their medication when their blood pressure is normal. The medicine is why their blood pressure is normal. So, their high blood pressure returns if they stop their medicine. This puts them back at risk for heart attack, stroke, and other health problems.

Stopping a blood pressure medicine all of a sudden can be dangerous. Things we worry about:

  • High blood pressure returning
  • Increased risk of serious health problems like heart attack or stroke
  • Some medications can cause dangerous symptoms if stopped too fast
  • Feeling anxious

The safest way to stop a medication is to slowly decrease the dose. This is why we always encourage talking to your doctor. They can help you figure out the best way to do this.

If you feel okay, check your blood pressure twice. Sometimes blood pressure is high for other reasons like being upset or having to go to the bathroom.

→ Learn more about how to get the right reading

140/90 or Higher

Call your doctor if the top number is 140 or higher or the bottom number is 90 or higher. Blood pressure this high can hurt you and your baby over time. It can also put you at risk for preeclampsia. Your doctor can help you make a plan to protect you and your baby.

160/110 or Higher

Get help right away. Blood pressure this high needs treatment and can be caused by preeclampsia.

This includes after you give birth. 

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Preeclampsia

Learn what preeclampsia is, what symptoms to watch for, and when to get help right away during pregnancy.

August, Phyllis, and Arun Jeyabalan. “Preeclampsia: Prevention.” UpToDate, Vol, 2017, 1–23.

Battarbee, Ashley N., Rachel G. Sinkey, Lorie M. Harper, Suzanne Oparil, and Alan TN Tita. “Chronic Hypertension in Pregnancy.” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 222, no. 6 (2020): 532–41.

Bisson, Courtney, Sydney Dautel, Easha Patel, Sunitha Suresh, Patricia Dauer, and Sarosh Rana. “Preeclampsia Pathophysiology and Adverse Outcomes during Pregnancy and Postpartum.” Frontiers in Medicine 10 (March 16, 2023): 1144170. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2023.1144170.

“Gestational Hypertension and Preeclampsia: ACOG Practice Bulletin, Number 222.” Obstetrics and Gynecology 135, no. 6 (June 2020): e237–60. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000003891.

Kametas, Nikos A., Diane Nzelu, and Kypros H. Nicolaides. “Chronic Hypertension and Superimposed Preeclampsia: Screening and Diagnosis.” American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 226, no. 2 (February 1, 2022): S1182–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2020.11.029.

Karrar, Shahd A., Daniel J. Martingano, and Peter L. Hong. “Preeclampsia.” In StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing, 2024. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK570611/.

Luger, Richard K., and Benjamin P. Kight. “Hypertension In Pregnancy.” In StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing, 2024. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430839/.

Norwitz, E. R. “Preeclampsia: Antepartum Management and Timing of Delivery.” Lockwood, CJ Https://Www. Uptodate. Com/Contents/Preeclampsia-Antepartummanagement-and-Timing-Ofdelivery, 2022. 

​Panaitescu, A. M., A. Syngelaki, N. Prodan, R. Akolekar, and K. H. Nicolaides. “Chronic Hypertension and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome: A Cohort Study.” Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology 50, no. 2 (2017): 228–35. https://doi.org/10.1002/uog.17493.

Phyllis, A., M. Baha, and M. Sibai. “Preeclampsia: Clinical Features and Diagnosis.” American Medical Network 21, no. 6 (2013): 4–52. 

Sanusi, Ayodeji A., Rachel G. Sinkey, and Alan TN Tita. “Clinical Trials That Have Changed Obstetric Practice: The Chronic Hypertension and Pregnancy (CHAP) Trial.” Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology 67, no. 2 (2024): 411–17.

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​Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine; Publications Committee. Electronic address: pubs@smfm.org. “Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Statement: Antihypertensive Therapy for Mild Chronic Hypertension in Pregnancy-The Chronic Hypertension and Pregnancy Trial.” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 227, no. 2 (August 2022): B24–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2022.04.011.

​Soma-Pillay P, Catherine NP, Tolppanen H, Mebazaa A, Tolppanen H, Mebazaa A. Physiological changes in pregnancy. Cardiovasc J Afr. 2016;27(2):89-94. doi:10.5830/CVJA-2016-021

Terwisscha van Scheltinga, Josien A., Ineke Krabbendam, and Marc E.A. Spaanderman. “Differentiating between Gestational and Chronic Hypertension; an Explorative Study.” Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica 92, no. 3 (2013): 312–17. https://doi.org/10.1111/aogs.12061.

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