The key difference between gestational hypertension and preeclampsia is that in gestational hypertension, there is no excess protein in the urine, while in preeclampsia, there is an increased protein level in the urine.
Gestational hypertension and preeclampsia are two medical conditions due to sudden high blood pressure during pregnancy in mothers. About 10 to 25% of women with gestational hypertension can progress to have preeclampsia. Therefore, both these conditions should be immediately treated in order to prevent organ damage.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Gestational Hypertension
3. What is Preeclampsia
4. Similarities – Gestational Hypertension and Preeclampsia
5. Gestational Hypertension vs Preeclampsia in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Gestational Hypertension vs Preeclampsia
What is Gestational Hypertension?
Gestational hypertension is a condition that causes high blood pressure during pregnancy. In gestational hypertension, there is no protein released in the urine or no other organ damage. It can be observed in 6% of all pregnancies. Gestational hypertension can normally develop into preeclampsia in some individuals. A woman who experienced normal blood pressure prior to 20 weeks of pregnancy can develop gestational hypertension with a blood pressure reading higher than 140/90 mmHg.
The actual cause of gestational hypertension is not known. However, the triggers for this condition are pre-existing hypertension, kidney disease, diabetes, hypertension with a previous pregnancy, the age of the mother being younger than 20 or older than 40, multiple fetuses (twins and triplets), and the African-American race. The symptoms of gestational hypertension are increased blood pressure, absence of protein in the urine, edema or swelling, sudden weight gain, visual changes such as blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, right-sided upper abdominal pain, urinating in small amounts, and changes in liver or kidney function.
Gestational hypertension can be diagnosed through blood tests, urine tests, assessment of edema, liver, and kidney function tests, frequent weight measurements, and blood clotting tests. Furthermore, the treatment and management options for gestational hypertension include bed rest, hospitalization, magnesium sulfate (antihypertensive medication), fetal monitoring, continued laboratory testing of urine and blood, and corticosteroids that help to mature the lungs of the fetus.
What is Preeclampsia?
Preeclampsia is a condition in pregnancy where the mother develops sudden high blood pressure together with releasing proteins into the urine or other organ damage. The organ damage may include kidneys, liver, or brain. Preeclampsia can happen after 20 weeks of pregnancy, and it can also occur right after the birth of the child. About 4 to 5% of pregnancies can be complicated by preeclampsia. Moreover, preeclampsia can cause complications such as heart complications, bleeding, stroke, blood clots, reduced birth weight in the fetus, premature birth, HELLP syndrome (hemolysis), and eclampsia. The symptoms of preeclampsia are new light sensitivity, severe headache that worsens day by day, confusion, shortness of breath, new swellings of the legs, pain in the upper right stomach, excess protein in the urine, thrombocytopenia, increased liver enzymes, nausea, and vomiting. Preeclampsia is caused by problems with blood circulating in the placenta leading to the uneven regulation of blood pressure in the mother.
Preeclampsia can be diagnosed through medical history, blood tests, urine analysis, fetal ultrasound, and nonstress tests or biophysical profiles. Furthermore, the treatment and management options for preeclampsia may include antihypertensive drugs to lower blood pressure, corticosteroids to promote the development of the baby’s lungs, anticonvulsant medication like magnesium sulfate to prevent seizures, delivery of the baby before 37 weeks, and management of signs of postpartum preeclampsia such as severe headache, vision changes, sere belly pain, nausea, and vomiting.
What are the Similarities Between Gestational Hypertension and Preeclampsia?
- Gestational hypertension and preeclampsia are two medical conditions of sudden high blood pressure during pregnancy.
- About 10 to 25% of women with gestational hypertension can progress to having preeclampsia.
- They should be immediately treated in order to prevent further organ damage.
- They can be diagnosed through blood and urine tests.
- Both can be treated through hypertensive medications.
What is the Difference Between Gestational Hypertension and Preeclampsia?
In gestational hypertension, the mother gets sudden high blood pressure without proteins in the urine, while in preeclampsia, the mother gets sudden high blood pressure together with elevated proteins in the urine. Thus, this is the key difference between gestational hypertension and preeclampsia. Furthermore, gestational hypertension is not characterized by organ damage. On the other hand, preeclampsia is characterized by organ damage such as kidneys, liver, or brain.
The below infographic presents the differences between gestational hypertension and preeclampsia in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Gestational Hypertension vs Preeclampsia
Gestational hypertension and preeclampsia are two conditions that pregnant mothers can get. In both conditions, the mother develops high blood pressure. But in gestational hypertension, the mother does not release proteins into the urine. There is no organ dysfunction seen in this condition. In contrast, in preeclampsia, the mother releases proteins into the urine. There can be organ damage or dysfunction, as well. About 10 to 25 % of pregnant ladies having gestational hypertension show a possibility of progressing to preeclampsia. So, this is the summary of the difference between gestational hypertension and preeclampsia.
Reference:
1. “Gestational Hypertension.” Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 24 Aug. 2014.
2. “Preeclampsia.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 15 Apr. 2022.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Blood pressure measurement (2009)” By Volganet (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Faceless pregnant woman caressing belly on bed at home” by Amina Filkins (CC0) via Pexels