high blood pressure and pregnancy anyone?

[SeekerMage]

Does anyone have high blood pressure and is/was pregnant? Why kind of tests did you have to go through etc.

I have had high blood pressure for a few years and take medication for it, and so far the meds Im currently on have worked great. Although because of it they watch me closly, I have had bi weekly monitorings since about 31 weeks, so far five (?) ultrasounds...next week I have a bio feedback ultrasound. It seems like a lot to me...I was almost going to ask if all the monitoring was necessary since all of them so far have been perfect, except for yesterday when I got sent to the hospital because of my blood pressure being high and the babys heartrate being to low...which Im sure is because of the one nurse (see the bitching post for full story!)

Any how, I really dont mind, Ill do anything to have a healthy baby...Im just worried about being taken advantage of...and dread the bill once we get it since each monitoring session alone is $170.00. EEEP! What has your experience been with your dr?
Any one out there know if this is normal? Thanks all!

[COElizabeth]

A friend of mine who has chronic high blood pressure became extremely ill and had to have an emergency c-section at 27 weeks. Fortunately, both she and her now almost 2-year-old daughter are just fine, but she is now contemplating a second pregnancy, and the high-risk OB she saw told her that she would be monitored extremely closely this time. You may never get sick, but preeclampsia can progress very rapidly, so I think it's good that you are being monitored frequently, and biweekly ultrasounds are appropriate, because I was told they are "good" for about 3 days. And I don't know how your insurance is structured, but I had multiple ultrasounds and biweekly fetal monitoring for several weeks, too (I had a milder case of preeclampsia), and none of it cost me a dime out of pocket. I hope all those tests continue to come back with good news and that your little one can stay inside a few weeks longer!

Elizabeth, Mom to James, 9-20-02