Low Blood Pressure ??? - Pregnancy, Birth & Baby Forums ~ BellyBelly

Just Me · #1 (**permalink**) June 23rd, 2009, 08:31 PM

I had a midwife appointment today. She took my blood pressure and it is 84/50. She wrote it down in my book and made some comment about me being a bit 'chilly' but didn't say more than that.

This number is very unusual for my regular blood pressure in pg (I don't really know what the numbers mean but my last one 4 weeks ago was 110/64 which is more the kinds of numbers I have during pg for blood pressure).

My mum is a nurse so I asked her about it and she said that my blood pressure reading was low and asked me if I have been feeling light headed and dizzy. I have had a number of episodes in the last week of being light headed and dizzy and thought maybe I was anemic but forgot to mention it to the midwife today and she didn't ask. Mum said she didn't know heaps about maternity care so didn't want to give me too much info.

I was wondering what are the symptoms of low blood pressure (I have also been exceptionally tired like I was when I was anemic in my last pg), whether my blood pressure is really a big concern (that I should seek a second opinion), what I can do for it - I have been drinking plenty of water but still seem to be retaining lots of fluid which I did mention to the midwife today and she ignored me - and anything else I should know.

Thanks

Jodi · #2 (**permalink**) June 23rd, 2009, 08:43 PM

I always have low blood pressure, and when pregnant it drops even more. You'll usually know when your blood pressure drops because you become dizzy, or you may even faint. I faint often, unfortunately.
Have you had your iron checked out recently?

Just Me · #3 (**permalink**) June 23rd, 2009, 08:46 PM

I have a blood test sometime in the next week to test for a few things including iron along with the GCT which is why I didn't think to mention it to the midwife today.

megsmum · #4 (**permalink**) June 24th, 2009, 10:01 AM

Hi there,

I have low BP too, but not as low as yours! It probably wouldn't hurt to get it rechecked, along with your iron levels, mine was 95/55 and I was getting pretty constant headspins and dizziness when it was that low. But my ob was not concerned about mine as far as affecting the baby goes, the only real problem with having it is just the dizziness and coping with that.

Unfortunately there's nothing they can do about it either

I was just told to take it easy, drink plenty of water and get as much rest as possible and don't drive if I'm feeling really bad.

HTH and all the best!

jamakin · #5 (**permalink**) June 24th, 2009, 10:11 AM

i also have low bp and it was worse during pregnancy, i always had the symptoms you described plus nausea... i had one bad episode where i had pins and neddles down one side of my body, i ended up at hospital, it was so low, but they didnt do anything! like others said theres nothing you can do about it, the midwives were only conserned if it is high bp.
i was told to drink plenty of water, lay down with feet raised if you feel it coming on, don't have hot baths or showers or dont get over heated in general. have snacks on hand and sometimes a cup of tea can help?
i would still tell the midwives or doctors at each visit.
i hope it stops for you.

boobaloo · #6 (**permalink**) June 24th, 2009, 10:19 AM

i have naturally low bp, and it was really low in pg too, i found i got really bad migraines in the last 3 months of pg, aswell as the dizziness and fainting. as the others have said, rest as much as you can, and stay at home or with people with you if you aren't feeling great.

Just Me · #7 (**permalink**) June 24th, 2009, 11:52 AM

Thanks everyone for your responses. It does make me feel a bit more normal though still not fun.

I think that mine may be linked to low iron - I feel like it is getting worse every day at the moment. I am soooo tired and it is making me so emotional. I have lots of symptoms of anemia and I was very anemic in my last pg so I have started taking iron again till I get around to my blood tests later this week. I am hoping that my low bp is linked to iron. I don't normally have low bp even in pg . . . this is a bit unusual for me.

edaj84 · #8 (**permalink**) July 15th, 2009, 12:01 AM

Mine was as low as yours was and sometimes lower (including one time when the Dr informed me that i was dead, gee thanks)

I was just told to avoid hot baths, showers, getting hot generally, avoid being alone if i was feeling particularly bad (i was fainting a lot), to check it regularly (a lot of chemists can do this for you), to eat a little more salt, eat licorice (both of these elevate your BP) and to take it easy