Did you know that 6 to 8% of pregnant women experience high blood pressure, also known as hypertension? Having high blood pressure when you’re expecting can result in increased risk of stroke, preeclampsia, and other labor complications. The good news is, this condition is highly treatable with the assistance of your women’s health clinic. If your physician is concerned about your blood pressure, here are a few hypertension care recommendations to follow. 

Top 4 Hypertension Care Tips for Pregnant Women

1. Maintain Healthy Weight

If you’re overweight, you’re at risk for high blood pressure, as your body will require more blood to supply sufficient nutrients and oxygen to your organs. While weight gain is part of the pregnancy process, working with your doctor to develop a nutrition plan and staying within a healthy weight range is highly recommended. 

2. Exercise

Many expectant mothers are concerned about how exercise will affect their growing child. Physicians agree that light to moderate exercise for 30 minutes a day, such as walking, hiking, or yoga, is an excellent way to not only regulate blood pressure but also increase energy, reduce back pain, promote endurance, and improve sleep patterns. 

3. Minimize Stress

When you’re stressed or anxious, your body creates a surge of hormones that cause your heart to beat faster and your blood vessels to narrow, thus spiking your blood pressure. To avoid these triggers, consider reducing your workload and embracing meditation or breathing exercises to keep yourself calm. 

4. Limit Salt Intake

By consuming lots of salty foods, excess sodium will enter the bloodstream and impair the kidney’s ability to remove water. This results in blood pressure spikes. With this in mind, pregnant women should limit their daily salt intake to roughly 1500 mg.

If you’re at risk for high blood pressure during pregnancy, it’s crucial to have an experienced physician by your side. Moogerfeld Internal Medicine, led by esteemed local physician Dr. Moogerfeld, is known throughout Bulloch County, GA, for providing top-notch care in an inviting atmosphere. If you’re looking for a women’s health specialist that treats every patient like a member of the extended family, call today at (912) 681-7111 to schedule an appointment at this state-of-the-art facility. For more information on their services, from hypertension care to treating diabetes, visit their website.