10 Effective Home Remedies to Manage High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy

High BP is common during pregnancy, but how to control it becomes a problem for women. As per the Yale Medicine, failure to control high BP in pregnancy can increase the chances of premature delivery, cesarean delivery, low birth weight, heart diseases, and more (1). Nowadays, the medicines available in the market consist of chemicals and toxins which we haven’t heard of; hence, opting for natural remedies for treating and managing common conditions is safe. Most alternative or natural remedies have no regulatory body, which makes it hard to know if these techniques and cures are real or not. This is why thorough research is required before attempting to add any form of natural treatment to your regimen, especially when you are pregnant. There are a plethora of easily achievable home remedies for high blood pressure during pregnancy. Below is a list of 10 remedies that are recommended for you to manage your high blood pressure during your pregnancy.

Home Remedies for High Blood Pressure (BP) in Pregnancy

It is extremely important that we do our research when choosing natural products to lower high blood pressure during pregnancy. It is a must to consult a doctor without taking any steps. Some methods of lowering your blood pressure may be dangerous when you are pregnant but can be considered safe when you aren’t. It is vital that you communicate with your doctor about these methods in order to ensure they don’t harm your body instead of helping it. Additionally, we recommend any home remedies for high BP during pregnancy act as a supplement to medication rather than a replacement.

1. Exercise

One of the most efficient ways of managing your blood pressure at home is through exercise, it doesn’t have to be extremely intense but a solid 30 minutes of exercise is known to greatly help your body remain healthy and help your immune system become stronger (2). Additionally, exercise relaxes the muscles, tones your body, and regulates blood flow. Regular exercise is considered a requirement to regulate your blood pressure and blood sugar levels as well. This is not so much a remedy as it is a lifestyle requirement that, when done at home, helps maintain stable blood pressure levels. An added boost of exercise during pregnancy is it helps make the delivery easier, manages pain better, and helps with pregnancy-based fatigue.

2. Control Sodium Intake

One of the best and most effective natural remedies for high blood pressure during pregnancy is by limiting or eliminating salt from your diet (2). When you are pregnant, your hormones are extremely imbalanced; this hurts your immune system and also lowers the efficiency of your body’s natural functions. This means processing and digesting salt or salty foods becomes much more difficult, and if the salt isn’t digested properly or is excessive in your diet, it can cause a spike in blood pressure. The reduction of salt also enhances your body’s energy levels during your pregnancy and works as an immunity booster. Unless a doctor specifically instructs you to eliminate salt, we recommend reducing its intake as salt has many natural minerals, which, in moderation, is healthy for you.

3. Eat Bananas

Eating a banana or two a day is extremely beneficial during pregnancy; not only is it a digestive aid and natural laxative, but it is also rich in potassium, making it one of the top home remedies to reduce high blood pressure during pregnancy (3). This makes it extremely healthy for anyone with high blood pressure.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar, or ACV, is one of the healthiest ingredients, and it has been proven to help maintain a balanced cholesterol level. It is also known to help balance your blood pressure. Consuming unpasteurized ACV is considered extremely healthy. Be warned though, undiluted ACV can be extremely acidic and can burn your oesophagus or food pipe and even damage your stomach, it is recommended that you consume one tablespoon of ACV every day with a glass of warm water and honey instead.

5. Magnesium

As per a study by the Journal of the Indian Medical Association in 2011, magnesium helps manage extreme blood pressure issues. In fact, recently, most medical professionals recommend that pregnant women should eat foods rich in magnesium, like tofu, avocados, bananas, almonds, and soy milk, because magnesium not only helps maintain a healthy level of blood pressure, it also plays a huge role in maintaining the integrity of the uterus during pregnancy by preventing it from contracting prematurely.

6. De-stress

When you’re pregnant, anxiety, depression and stress are common, these are also the leading cause of high blood pressure. Practice activities that help you relax; it is recommended that women who are pregnant listen to music for 30 minutes at least 3 times a day, practice prenatal yoga and get prenatal massages to help manage stress. It is recommended that you pick music that is slow and has a rhythm that is relaxing and soothing, like jazz, blues, or classical music.

7. Limit Alcohol Intake

The complications of alcohol during pregnancy are so immense that doctors recommend you skip any alcoholic beverages for the entire period; high blood pressure is one of the many reasons behind this (4). Alcohol intake can complicate any pregnancy for a number of reasons; if you have to have a drink, we recommend 10ml of wine a month.

8. Don’t Smoke

Much like alcohol, the downside of smoking is the intense side-effects it has on your body, even when you aren’t pregnant, it can lead to cancer, weight gain, anxiety, depression, and high blood pressure. When you are pregnant, these risks are greater than quadruple. Cleveland Clinic suggests it is best to quit smoking when you are pregnant to manage high bp (5).

9. Avoid Caffeine

Caffeine is one of the leading causes of high blood pressure. We recommend you limit or quit caffeine during your pregnancy to maintain a healthy BP level.

10. Avoid Junk Food

Junk food is usually packed with preservatives and is known for being extremely unhealthy. While it may satiate your cravings, it is not a great source of nutrition. So, avoid junk food during your pregnancy to remain healthy and control your blood pressure.

FAQs

1. What are the most common kinds of high BP during pregnancy?

There are three three most common types of blood pressure during pregnancy (6) (7):

• Preeclampsia: This condition shows up after the middle of your pregnancy and is marked by protein in your urine and high blood pressure. It can affect both your baby and the placenta.
• Chronic Hypertension: Some women have high blood pressure even before they get pregnant. If you’re planning to have a baby and you have high blood pressure, it’s important to talk to your doctor. It’s best to get it under control before getting pregnant.
• Gestational Hypertension: It often occurs in the second half of pregnancy, especially if you’re expecting more than one baby. Having gestational hypertension raises the chance of developing preeclampsia.

2. Is high blood during pregnancy harmful for the fetus?

Yes, high BP in pregnancy can restrict the blood flow to the placenta, restricting the flow of nutrients and oxygen to the baby, which can increase the chances of premature birth or low birth weight (8). This is the reason having optimal blood pressure during pregnancy is important.

3. What is the ideal blood pressure during pregnancy?

Blood pressure less than 120/80 is considered normal blood pressure during pregnancy, as suggested by the March of Dimes (9) and Cleveland Clinic (5). 

4. Are medications for blood pressure safe to take during pregnancy?

Medications are generally prescribed for high bp patients. During pregnancy, it is advised not to use OTC blood pressure medicines, but to consult a doctor for the condition and the medicine prescribed for your condition (10).

These 10 home remedies for high blood pressure are not cures for people with genetic BP issues. If your doctor feels you need blood pressure medication, then we recommend using these home remedies to control bp in pregnancy
to supplement the medication. Consult your doctor before adding or removing any routine from your life during your pregnancy. Under no circumstance should you attempt to go off medication unless your doctor suggests you. These methods are also great for general blood pressure control. We strongly recommend that you do your research using any method not mentioned above to control your blood pressure, as some unregulated techniques and diets can be dangerous for you.

References/Resources:

1. Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) During Pregnancy; Yale Medicine; https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/hypertension-high-blood-pressure-during-pregnancy

2. High blood pressure (hypertension) and pregnancy; NHS; https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/related-conditions/complications/high-blood-pressure/#:~:text=Things%20you%20can%20try%20yourself,help%20to%20reduce%20blood%20pressure.

3. 9 Best Foods for High Blood Pressure (Plus 7 of the Worst); AARP; https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2023/best-and-worst-foods-for-high-blood-pressure.html

4. Hypertension; WHO; https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hypertension/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwzZmwBhD8ARIsAH4v1gX7rezQErGLXMb6CFRpUrgY78v_c8P5Zm_WZxo_SW3fphOW-miQqq4aAm3VEALw_wcB

5. High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) During Pregnancy; Cleveland Clinic; https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4497-gestational-hypertension

6. High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy; MedlinePlus; https://medlineplus.gov/highbloodpressureinpregnancy.html

7. High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy; CDC; https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/pregnancy.htm

8. High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy; Pregnancy Birth and Baby; https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/high-blood-pressure-in-pregnancy#affect-baby

9. High blood pressure during pregnancy; March of Dimes; https://www.marchofdimes.org/find-support/topics/pregnancy/high-blood-pressure-during-pregnancy

10. High blood pressure and pregnancy: Know the facts; Mayo Clinic; https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/pregnancy/art-20046098

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