High BP In Pregnancy Can Turn Fatal, Warn AIIMS Doctors

It begins silently. But it can quickly turn deadly. Doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi have warned that high blood pressure during pregnancy is a serious medical emergency and not a routine pregnancy symptom to be ignored.

They explained that delayed diagnosis of pre-eclampsia — a dangerous hypertensive disorder that develops after the 20th week of pregnancy — continues to endanger thousands of women and babies across India every year.

Marked by dangerously elevated blood pressure, pre-eclampsia can rapidly damage vital organs including the kidneys, liver, brain and placenta. “This is not normal pregnancy stress. It can become life-threatening for both mother and baby if not treated on time,” warned Dr. Neena Malhotra, Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at AIIMS Delhi.

Experts estimate that nearly two to four lakh women in India are affected annually, making it one of the leading causes of maternal and fetal complications.

Dr. Malhotra said warning signs include swelling of the hands and face, persistent headaches, blurred vision, dizziness, sudden weight gain and elevated blood pressure. However, many women may show no obvious symptoms in the early stages, making regular antenatal monitoring critical.

Globally, hypertensive disorders during pregnancy account for nearly 14% of maternal deaths each year. Studies indicate that pre-eclampsia complicates between 2% and 8% of pregnancies worldwide, with risks significantly higher in low- and middle-income countries where access to prenatal care remains uneven.

Dr. Malhotra cautioned that the consequences often continue long after childbirth. Women who develop pre-eclampsia face substantially higher risks of chronic hypertension, cardiovascular disease and stroke later in life.

She also flagged unhealthy dietary practices during pregnancy as an aggravating factor. Excessive consumption of salty snacks, processed foods, pickles and sodium-rich diets may worsen blood pressure-related complications, particularly among women already predisposed to hypertension.

Prof. Malhotra said supportive lifestyle interventions such as medically supervised yoga may help reduce stress and improve maternal wellbeing in high-risk pregnancies.

If left untreated, pre-eclampsia can rapidly progress to severe complications including eclampsia, stroke, kidney failure, liver damage and HELLP syndrome — a life-threatening condition involving the destruction of red blood cells, elevated liver enzymes and low platelet counts, said Dr. Vidushi Kulshrestha from the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at AIIMS Delhi.

For babies, the disorder increases the risk of premature birth, restricted fetal growth, placental abruption and stillbirth.

The doctors stressed that many maternal deaths linked to pre-eclampsia remain preventable through timely screening and early intervention. Yet poor awareness, delayed referrals, limited healthcare access and socioeconomic inequalities continue to obstruct early diagnosis and treatment.

“Many women reach tertiary hospitals too late because early warning signs are dismissed as routine pregnancy discomfort,” said Dr. K. Aparna Sharma from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at AIIMS Delhi.

She stressed first-trimester screening which, she said, can help identify high-risk pregnancies, including women with twin pregnancies, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, IVF pregnancies or a family history of high blood pressure. According to the doctors, early administration of low-dose aspirin in high-risk pregnancies can significantly reduce the risk of severe pre-eclampsia.

Dr. Anubhuti Rana, also from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at AIIMS Delhi, emphasised that awareness at the community level remains crucial, particularly among ASHA workers, ANMs and Anganwadi workers who often serve as the first point of contact for pregnant women in rural and underserved areas.