If you have high blood pressure, your doctor will closely monitor you and your baby and provide special care to lower the chance of complications. You may need to:
- Check your blood pressure at home. Visit Measure Your Blood Pressure for more information.
- Keep track of how many times you feel the baby kicking each day.
- Limit your physical activity. Talk to your doctor about what level of physical activity is right for you.
- Take medicine to control your blood pressure. If you do, talk to your doctor about which medicines are safe for your baby. These medicines may include calcium-channel blockers (nifedipine), taken by mouth, or beta blockers (labetalol) or vasodilators (hydralazine), given through an IV.
- Take aspirin in the second trimester, if you are at risk of preeclampsia and your doctor recommends aspirin. Continue reading «As part of your regular prenatal care, your doctor will measure your blood pressure at each visit»