World Hypertension Day: Here's How Post-Pregnancy Hypertension Can Affect You

Hypertension or high blood pressure has become extremely common in our world, thanks to our unhealthy lifestyles. The harmful effects of this condition are known to all but not many are aware of the impact of hypertension on pregnant women. Some women develop high blood pressure during pregnancy which comes to normal after delivery, and some suffer from it due to other underlying health conditions. In these women, hypertension is carried forward in the later stages of life. And according to a new study, these women are more likely to suffer from heart failure. Here's what our expert has to say about it.

Also read: Why am I suffering from high blood pressure?

Gynecologist Dr. Ragini Agrawal says, "If a young woman is suffering from hypertension after pregnancy then the reason for this is different from the factors which cause hypertension in old people. It is important to evaluate other underlying health problems like kidney disease, heart disease or any other disease for that matter. Now blood pressure can be of two types; one which happens due to no reason and the other which happens due to an underlying health problem. The second one needs to be evaluated in case a woman is reporting blood pressure after pregnancy."

Also read: Here's How Hypertension During Pregnancy Can Affect You

Hypertension after pregnancy

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According to Dr. Agrawal, hypertension may sometimes crop up during pregnancy but that comes back to normal after delivery. However, in some patients, this condition persists. In this situation, it should be noted that blood pressure was not due to the pregnancy. Instead, it was some other health problem which resulted in high blood pressure. Such patients need to go through an overall health check-up to figure out the underlying health problems responsible for hypertension.

Also read: Is my mother getting the correct treatment for hypertension?

"So if these patients plan a pregnancy after the first time and they diagnosed high blood pressure after delivery, they must take proper precautions for it. This is known as preconception counseling. They must figure out what the problem is and then treat it accordingly so that hypertension does not create more health problems during the second pregnancy," says Dr. Agrawal.

Also read: Can my wife conceive with high blood pressure?

Hypertension and risk of heart failure 

She concluded by saying that as far as heart failure is concerned, it tends to be a rare occurrence. Risk of heart failure is in those women who have some underlying heart condition along with blood pressure. It does not increase heart failure risk in every one. So we can say that if hypertension is persistent after delivery, it is due to some other underlying health problem which needs to be treated timely to avoid any health risks in the second pregnancy.

Happy World Hypertension Day!

(Dr. Ragini Agrawal is the head a Senior Gynecologist at W Pratiksha Hospital)

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.