What You Need to Know About Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension (PIH)

For many women, pregnancy is a blissful time, filled with daydreams of baby socks and grinning chubby faces. However, sometimes pregnancy can become a stressful and frightening experience. If you've recently been diagnosed with pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), you know exactly what I mean.

One of the most frustrating aspects of PIH is that women who develop it often don't feel sick. Equally troubling is that no one can say for certain what causes a woman to develop PIH. There is evidence that younger mothers (those under 20) and older mothers (those over 40) are at an increased risk. The same is true for those who already have high blood pressure going into pregnancy. There are some doctors who believe excessive weight gain can be a contributing factor, and it is clear that women who have had PIH in a previous pregnancy are at a greater risk of developing it in future pregnancies. Finally, women who are expecting multiples are more likely than those carrying one baby to develop PIH. One thing is for certain: while PIH is a serious complication, and requires careful monitoring by your doctor, it can be managed and you and your baby have an excellent long-term prognosis.

Pregnancy-induced hypertension is a type of high blood pressure that occurs during pregnancy. It is a relatively common complication, with between five and eight percent of women experiencing it. However, PIH can develop into much more serious complications, including eclamspia and HELLP syndrome, so if you begin to develop PIH, your doctor will want to monitor you closely.