High Blood Pressure In Pregnancy

Q: my daughter is due to have her 1st baby anytime now she has been having high b/p for over a month her dr has only told her to rest for 2 hrs at a time on her left side 4 times a day, she was seem yesterday her b/p was 160 /90 it has been as high as 172/108 . is this normal ?
A: No, blood pressure this high is not normal in pregnancy. During pregnancy, blood pressure usually is lower than normal. There are conditions in pregnancy associated with high blood pressure, which include Pregnancy Induced Hypertension and Pre-Eclampsia. Pre-Eclampsia, which is also known as 'toxemia' is a serious condition that occurs in a small percentage of pregnancies. It is a collection of symptoms which is diagnosed by a large amount of protein in the urine, high blood pressure, severe headaches
(not always present), blurry vision (not always present), Increased reflexes (not always present) and swelling of the feet (this is normal in pregnancy) The exact cause of preeclampsia is not known.
Risk factors include, African-American heritage, First pregnancy, Multiple pregnancies, Older than age 35, Past history of diabetes, high blood pressure, or kidney disease

Symptoms of preeclampsia can include:
Headaches
Swelling of the hands and face (edema)
Weight gain
More than 2 pounds per week
Sudden weight gain over 1 - 2 days
Note: Some swelling of the feet and ankles is considered normal with pregnancy.
Other symptoms that can occur with this disease:
Abdominal pain
Agitation
Decreased urine output
Nausea and vomiting
Vision changes

If women have isolated blood pressure without these other signs, then it is usually monitored and medicine is usually not given unless bp is quite elevated.