Pregnancy & Blood Pressure

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is now the number one killer of women over 25, with one of every three adult women having some form of CVD. In addition, women who are pregnant are at increased risk of developing hypertension and the complications of preeclampsia.

Home blood pressure monitoring plays a vital role in detecting and managing hypertension, and the key to effective home monitoring is ACCURACY. For women, the home monitor clinically proven and independently validated for accuracy—with a separate clinical validation for use with pregnant women—is the OMRON Women’s Advanced Blood Pressure Monitor. The unique design of this Omron monitor makes it possible to measure blood pressure upon inflation of the cuff, for more precise detection of oscillations as the artery is being compressed, assuring greater accuracy for women with preeclampsia, a condition where blood pressure is often under-read.

Pregnancy May Increase Your Risk of Developing Hypertension

During pregnancy, blood pressure monitoring is an important ongoing part of prenatal care to prevent and manage complications from high blood pressure for both mother and baby.

Importantly, hypertension disorders:

• Contribute to over 17% of maternal deaths in the US alone as reported by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.¹
• Affect 6–8 percent of all pregnancies in the United States²
• Contribute to premature birth
• Influence increased development of coronary calcification later in life.

Preeclampsia is one type of high blood pressure disorder which can develop during pregnancy. You are at a higher risk for developing preeclampsia if you:

• Have high blood pressure before becoming pregnant
• Have developed high blood pressure or preeclampsia in a previous pregnancy
• Are obese prior to pregnancy
• Are under age 20 or over age 40
• Are pregnant with more than one baby
• Have diabetes, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or scleroderma

Routine blood pressure monitoring at each prenatal visit with your healthcare provider is an important approach for the early detection of blood pressure problems during pregnancy. Working together, you and your healthcare provider can track your blood pressure effectively both during office visits and while at home. The clinically validated technology of the portable and easy to use Omron Women’s Advanced Blood Pressure Monitor allows for personal use during pregnancy.

References
1. Cooper, J R. (2006). Extra Calcium May Prevent Hypertension Problems in Pregnant Women. Center for the Advancement of Health. Retrieved December 14, 2007, from http://hbns.org
2. Preeclampsia Foundation. (2007). Frequently asked questions. Retrieved December 14, 2007, from http://www.preeclampsia.org