Tips For Reducing Your Risk Of Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a condition affecting some pregnant women that may result in serious symptoms and may require early delivery of the baby. Although some women are simply predisposed to develop the condition, reducing any controllable risk factors can increase your chances of having a healthy pregnancy.

Reduce Controllable Risk Factors

If you are thinking about starting or expanding your family, now is the time to assess your risk factors and make lifestyle changes, even if pregnancy is years away. Controllable risk factors can include your weight, activity level, and daily salt intake. When you are attempting to improve your health in hopes of becoming pregnant, it is best to focus on lifestyle choices you can maintain indefinitely. Focus on simple changes, such as getting more exercise and reducing or eliminating your intake of processed foods. Lifestyle changes before you become pregnant can help you achieve a normal blood pressure and reduce your risk of other pregnancy complications, such as gestational diabetes.

Cope With Stress

Stress can contribute to many health problems, and the consequences are magnified when you are expecting. Obviously, you cannot eliminate all stress in your life, but finding healthy ways to cope with stress can help. Try engaging in yoga or meditation, especially classes designed for pregnant women. Not only will you learn techniques to relax that may help you throughout your pregnancy and delivery, talking with other pregnant women about your experiences may give you an outlet if you have a hectic life.

Pregnancy itself can be stressful, especially if this is your first baby and are anxious about the experience. Make sure you are confiding in your obstetrician and/or midwife about your concerns. For some women, it is best to avoid online forums about being pregnant, because it can add to anxiety about pregnancy. Simply focus on what is going on with your body and baby, and not the sad or negative experiences of someone else.

Invest In Home Blood Pressure Monitoring

Since one of the major symptoms of preeclampsia is a sudden increase in blood pressure, even without other symptoms, you may want to have access to a blood pressure monitor between doctor's visits. If you have no history of hypertension, it is fine to measure your blood pressure weekly. You should also use your blood pressure monitor before one of your office visits so you can compare results. This can help you determine how accurate your monitor is compared to the one at the office. For women with a history of hypertension, you should monitor your blood pressure more often.

Living a healthy lifestyle before and during pregnancy can help reduce some of your risks of developing preeclampsia. Maintaining appointments with a doctor, like one from Advanced OB-GYN Services, throughout pregnancy is imperative to monitor your blood pressure address preeclampsia promptly, if it occurs.

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