Risks of Chronic Hypertension During Pregnancy
Most risks are not increased for most women with mild chronic hypertension if there are no other complications. However, if hypertension is severe, if there are other conditions such as diabetes, or if preeclampsia develops along with chronic hypertension, risks are much greater for mother and baby.
Risks of severe chronic hypertension in pregnancy may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Blood pressure increasing
- Congestive heart failure
- Bleeding in the brain
- Kidney failure
- Placental abruption (early detachment of the placenta from the uterus)
- Blood clotting disorder
Risks to the fetus and newborn depend on the severity of the disease and may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) — decreased fetal growth due to poor placental blood flow.
- Preterm birth (before 37 weeks of pregnancy)
- Stillbirth