Blood pressure is a serious issue in itself. The seriousness of blood pressure gets augmented when you are pregnant. But in order to understand the adverse impact of blood pressure during pregnancy, it is first necessary to understand what blood pressure is. The blood gushing through your vessels exerts pressure on the walls. This pressure is necessary to ensure the regular flow of blood through them. Without this pressure, the distant areas and micro circulation units tend to lose nutrients. But when this pressure increases, it damages the vessel walls, releasing certain substances called clotting factors. These clotting factors initiate the clotting of blood, that leads to the blockage of micro vessels in circulation. This is what causes heart attacks and strokes. There are some things that determine the pressure, the pace of blood flow, etc. In a normal person, the pressure is regulated by various factors. But when it is altered, it becomes a silent killer.

What is blood pressure during pregnancy?
If you have understood the above mechanism, the blood pressure during pregnancy is simply the elevation of the pressure of blood in a pregnant woman who otherwise has a normal blood pressure.

Why should it bother you?
When you are pregnant, you are no longer alone. You have a fast growing fetus that depends on you for nutrition, support, and growth. So any alteration in the normal functioning of the body will have potentially adverse effects on the outcome of the pregnancy, and the health of the fetus. When the blood pressure elevates, it damages the blood vessel walls. The clotting factors from the vessel wall initiate the cascade of blood clot formation. This leads to the formation of micro emboli, which grows and blocks important arteries in the body. It will initially reflect as excess protein in the urine, owing to a reduction in the protein absorption capacity. Then the emboli in the blood block the arteries in the brain leading to seizures. An elevated blood pressure with protein in urine is known as pre eclampsia, and when seizures set in, it is called eclampsia. This adversely affects the outcome of pregnancy, and in certain cases, could even result in the death of the baby.

How to control blood pressure during pregnancy?
Now that you know what happens if you have high blood pressure, it becomes essential to control blood pressure during pregnancy. Here are few simple ways you can achieve that:

• Eat right
  Nutrition during pregnancy is something that you can’t take lightly. You have to eat right. High salt foods increase blood pressure. So when you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, you must cut down on all forms of salt. You can gradually reduce them in your diet. Avoid consuming snacks with high salt content too. Add minerals like zinc and magnesium in your diet. And be sure to have plenty of vegetables.
• Engage in physical activity
  Walking benefits not just your legs, but your entire body. A long and brisk walk will stimulate the receptors on the sole of your feet, and help flush toxins from the body. Also, this will help regulate blood pressure. Engage in regular exercises even before you get pregnant. When you become pregnant, you must not cease physical activity, but rather, find exercises like swimming to keep you moving. Yoga is another great way for a pregnant woman to stay active.
• Keep your weight under control
  It is natural to put on weight during pregnancy. But excess weight is detrimental to health. When the weight is in excess, it takes a lot of effort to supply blood to all parts of the body. Furthermore, the increased fat content in the blood would lead to other complications, like micro deposits in essential blood vessels of the placenta, etc. So you must keep a check on your weight and control it meticulously.
• Don’t stress yourself
  Stress is very bad for health, and it is worse when you are pregnant. Try to keep calm at all times, and avoid stress at any cost. When the stress is too much, try to de stress yourself by listening to music, watching your favorite show or movie etc. Practice meditation, yoga, prayer and relaxation techniques. Also, make use of deep breathing exercises, that will help you relax the muscles.
• Make drastic changes to your lifestyle
  In the end, it all comes down to your lifestyle. If you are a smoker, avoid smoking completely. Also be sure to avoid consuming alcohol. Eat whole grains, banana, and nuts; and avoid junk food and empty calories. Eating dark chocolate also helps regulate blood pressure in pregnancy.

Always remember that these suggestions given above are in no way a substitute for a proper consultation with your doctor. If you feel it’s necessary, never hesitate to ask for an expert’s opinion.