I found out I was pregnant in June 2025, and for the first 7 months of my pregnancy, everything was normal. I would go to my monthly OBGYN appointments and think nothing of them. However, my 30 week appointment in December is when everything changed.

I went into this appointment expecting the usual checks. Unfortunately, that is not what happened. My first blood pressure reading came back at 140/90. I asked them to recheck it, where it was 160/100. I couldn’t believe it. I was sent to L&D for blood pressure checks and lab workup. My blood pressure started to lower and labs came back normal, so I was given a 24-hour urine collection kit and was told to return in a few days.

When I went to get my BP rechecked, it was still elevated consistently, which led to my first hospital admission for 24 hour NST monitoring and pre-eclampsia workup. Luckily, the rest of my pre-eclampsia work-up came back normal. I was getting my blood pressure checked every 15-60 minutes. I felt panicked the whole time. I was barely 30 weeks pregnant. Would I need to deliver early? Would my baby be okay? Giving birth at 30 weeks would also mean that instead of giving birth at the hospital 10 minutes away from my house with all my doctors, I would need to give birth 40 minutes away with doctors I was unfamiliar with. My anxiety was at an all time high; I was immediately put on medication to help me manage.

My doctors were able to come up with a medication regimen that controlled my blood pressure. My pre-eclampsia labs continued to be normal, so I was discharged with a new diagnosis of gestational hypertension. This involved weekly visits to my OBGYN, biweekly NSTs and BPPs, weekly pre-eclampsia labs, and blood pressure checks from 31 weeks until I was induced at 37 weeks. I was thrilled to be going home, but overwhelmed at all the extra care I would need to take to manage this condition. I was very fortunate to have the support of my family and providers. I truly believe that is one of the reasons I was able to be managed until 37 weeks.

After a long induction, I finally welcomed my son into the world. I was overjoyed, especially since my blood pressure had stayed normal throughout and after my labor. I was discharged 2 days after my son was born. I was thrilled to put this chapter behind me…or so I thought.

After I brought my son home, I wanted to check my blood pressures. I was hoping my BP would return to normal. Unfortunately, this did not happen. Not only was my blood pressure not normal, it was even higher than it had been when I was pregnant! I was getting readings above 160/90. That’s when I knew that I needed to put my health first and go back to labor and delivery, where I was diagnosed with postpartum pre-eclampsia. I was devastated; the only thing I wanted was to enjoy my first few nights with my son and husband as a new family of 3, and now I was no longer able to do so. I had to miss my son’s first doctor’s appointment due to my new diagnosis, and could only have him with me if my husband was at the hospital. This led to my husband spending multiple nights with me at the hospital while I got the magnesium drip and the doctors formulated a cocktail of medications to help me control my blood pressure. I was finally sent home after 4 nights in the hospital, and was able to finally have the postpartum experience at home I had been yearning for. Today, I am officially off all my blood pressure medications and have had stable blood pressures ever since.

My story shows how invaluable pre- and postnatal care is. I never had any symptoms of high blood pressure or pre-eclampsia. I felt physically well my entire pregnancy. If I didn’t have proper medical care and a diligent medical team, things may have turned out differently for both myself and my baby. I will forever be thankful for the OBGYN team at my hospital. For anyone reading, take this as a sign to not miss any of your pre or post-natal appointments. It may just save your life.