can you girls look at my bp readings please xxx

[ProudMum]

ok so wen i had my first booking appt, my bp was 146/88 which was not great for me at all- but, i was absolutely terrified.

so i bought a home monitor and check it myself. i take it in morning and afternoon but not always the same times- tho only a couple hrs different.
heres my readings.

27th jan 09.30 (after breakfast) 1 reading = 119/63 pulse 78
28th jan 08.26 (after breakfast) 1 reading = 104/63 pulse 83
29th Jan 09.30 (after breakfast) 1 reading = 129/63 pulse 70
30thjan 11.03am (afterbreakfast) 1 reading = 117/61 pulse 84

now either im doing it wrong or i have a serious issues when going to a mw.
My last mw appointment my bp was 140/60 and she said it was ok because the bottom number was low, something i dont understand as I thought it was assessed on EITHER number being high.
my readings vary slightly but the bottom number is fairly consistent and the top isnt too different. i've yet to have a reading which is anything close to when I seea dr

I've noted these readings in my pregnancy notes.
whats your opinions on this.

 

[LogansMama]

I don't know anything really - but they look similar to my readings... Mine are always low.

 

[Kitty23]

You look like you have low blood pressure and a normal heart rate xxx

 

[ProudMum]

I don't know anything really - but they look similar to my readings... Mine are always low.

do you also check your own at home?

 

[MrsGlitz]

On my booking in my BP was 110/60
16 weeks - 100/58
23 weeks - 125/58
27 weeks (went to assessment unit) - 120/61

My BP is low as it is measured on the second number. However, as my baseline BP (the one at the booking in appointment) was low, there are no concerns at the moment. I have always had a low BP rate and often have mini dizzy spells (when I get up too quickly for example).

Ideally your lower number should be above 70 I believe but if you've always had a low BP they don't get too concerned if it remains low.

 

[-Linn-]

looks good to me, you should only be concerned if the bottom number is too high!

 

[abz]

i don't understand blood pressure readings at all. what does each number mean?

abz xx

 

[Jordicia]

My bp is normally around the 120/70 ( and has been through my other 2 pregnancies) but my mw visit last week it was 131/87 which I thought looked a bit high for me but mw didnt say anything?

taken from another site:
"The top number is the systolic number, or the amount of pressure that is in the vessels at the time of work or heart beats blood through the vessel. The bottom number is the diastolic number, or the amount of pressure that is in the vessels at the time that the blood is not being pushed through the vessels"

 

[lauralora]

looks normal, mine are a little lower, im suffering with low blood pressure but its nothing to worry about, if anything your readings are on the low side, which is good xx

 

[abz]

ha. thanks for the explanation. but i'm still clueless. no idea whether mine is good or bad

 

[merlotgirl]

Did the midwife tell you to buy one of these and check at home? It's just I've heard that those home ones are kind of unreliable (my dad has high bp and asked his cardiologist about getting a home one and that's what he told him!)

also I always find myself holding my breath when anyone takes mine and find it helps if I force myself to take a long breath out? Might help hun! Take care, MG

 

[beachlover1]

your blood pressure looks fine, im not so sure that you really need to take it every day unless you have been told you have a serious BP/cardiac issue. I wouldnt worry too much about these things, pregnancy is hard enough without analysing everything we have to go through. The MW will monitor you if she thought you had a problem.


Lots of people get increased BP when they go to a doctor, its very normal, which is why people with serious BP issues get hooked up to a 48 constant monitor, to rule out the stress situatons.

Please dont worry and try to enjoy your pregnancy, these 3 months are for enjoying....before the busy times ahead ;-) xxx

 

[purpledaisy2]

Yours blood pressures low if anything, not anything to worry about hun x

 

[GlasgowAngel]

I find this link really useful

https://www.bpassoc.org.uk/BloodPressureandyou/Thebasics/Bloodpressurechart

 

[MrsMouse]

looks good to me, you should only be concerned if the bottom number is too high!

can i just correct this please - if the top number is over 140 or the bottom number is over 90 then you should be concerned. Either number or both can be raised.

The top number is called your systollic blood pressure and the bottom is your diastollic - both are indications of how your body is responding to the extra demands placed on it.

The top number changes more rapidly and the bottom number if raised can be an indication of a "longer term stressor" to the body.

As for blood pressure being raised only when you see the midwife or GP - this can be referred to as "white coat syndrome" it just means that you get stressed when you're "on show" with the GP or midwife and your body is sensitive to that. Your readings at home are a good thing - it will help the midwife to recognise that it is simply "white coat syndrome" rather than to keep referring you back to the hospital to get blood pressure checks and maybe even blood tests to rule out conditions like pre-eclampsia when your blood pressure becomes dangerously raised.

Hope that helps

 

[Kelly9]

YOu likely get excited when the MW is there, it is normal, the fact that your BP is good otherwise is excellent. It does matter if either number is to high though, high for systolic (top #) is 140 and over and high for diastolic (bottom #) is 90 and over.

Low BP is ok to so long as you feel fine, mine is frequently 100/58 when I am not pregnant which is a bit low but because i feel fine there is no worry. Everyone is different. When I found out I was pg I had my BP done that day at doctors and it was 138 over 90 something it was cause I was super excited. Your heart likely races when you have apts or maybe some worry that mw will detect something makes it go higher at time of apt for you. The description above by Jordicia about what the #'s are is correct and very good.

 

[Mrs A]

youll also find that the cuff machine which i think you're probably using will round down on numbers and isnt medically exact at times. i use one at work and i could do a bp 5 times over on it and each time it will be different so i shouldn't go too much on them.
Having said that your Pulse is within normal range as is those readings but i will say that being pregnant will alter them quite drastically from day to day depending on what is happening within your body
Hope this helps

 

[Sazzoire]

Your BP's look fine to me (I'm no expert though)..... The diastolic will usually be consistent.... the systolic will go up and down.... I would worry if my systolic went over 150/160 as this would be really high for me... I agree with another poster... you may have 'white coat syndrome'... this means that your BP will go up when measure by a professional, ie Midwife, doctor etc....

xx

 

[LogansMama]

I don't know anything really - but they look similar to my readings... Mine are always low.

do you also check your own at home?

No I don't - but based on my dr's appts, and the few times I've taken it on the machine at the drug store.... mine is always on the low end.

 

[jess_smurf]

PERFECT!!!

your blood pressure is perfect and now classed as low , its normal.

The home BP machines can take your BP up a little, just been playing with mine buts its not far out