Gestational Hypertension vs Preeclampsia: Difference and Comparison

The human body is like a complex system in which there can be any problem at any point in time. During the tenure of pregnancy, a woman has to face certain medical conditions that are very hard to understand sometimes.

Gestational Hypertension and Preeclampsia are two such conditions that happen during pregnancy, and it is very important for any such person to know the differences between these two issues. 

Key Takeaways

1. Gestational hypertension develops during pregnancy, whereas preeclampsia is a more severe condition that includes high blood pressure and organ damage.
2. Gestational hypertension can progress into preeclampsia, making close monitoring essential for pregnant women.
3. Treatment for both conditions focuses on managing blood pressure and ensuring a safe environment for the baby, but preeclampsia may require more aggressive interventions.

Gestational Hypertension vs Preeclampsia 

The difference between Gestational Hypertension and Preeclampsia is that the former is a medical condition in which the affected woman develops very high blood pressure along with certain other complications, while on the other hand, the latter is another medical condition that resembles the former but carries along with some other complications and comes later in the order of growth. 

Gestational Hypertension is a particular medical situation that is found in women who are in a state of pregnancy and is more than the age of thirty-five.

But this age is no exact bar, and the issue can be with women younger than this level. This condition is said to have occurred whenever a woman who has had normal blood pressure always develops a pressure of more than a certain limit. 

But on the other hand, Preeclampsia is an additional; condition that takes place when the blood pressure rises to a very higher level, and certain other complications also begin to happen.

For example, the urine brings excessive amounts of protein, and the kidney creates issues. 

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Gestational Hypertension	Preeclampsia
Meaning	It is a medical condition of hypertension in pregnant women.	It is a medical condition of kidney-related issues along with blood pressure in pregnant women.
Causes	The primary reason behind this condition is considered to be obesity.	The primary reason behind this condition is considered to be family history or age beyond 35 years.
Order of occurrence	This occurs first in the room.	This occurs after gestational hypertension.
Symptoms	Sudden rise in the normal blood pressure of the person.	Sudden rise in the blood pressure along with the presence of excessive protein in the urine along with kidney issues.
Treatment	Usually treated with anti-hypertension medicines.	Usually treated with a low dose of aspirin.

What is Gestational Hypertension? 

The body has a normal blood pressure of its own, and when any modification occurs with this particular pressure, certain complications arise in the body of the concerned person.

Gestational Hypertension is a situation that occurs in a pregnant woman when the blood pressure of that particular woman rises higher than 140/90 mm Hg.

This situation occurs when the aforementioned blood pressure is achieved in place of normal blood pressure.  

Scientists have identified the major causes behind this situation, and they are as follows- 

• obesity in the body of the person 
• age factor 
• Hereditary factor 

Whenever this particular situation is diagnosed in a particular person, the treatment of the same requires a huge amount of patience and caution as not only the life of the woman is dependent upon the treatment, but also the life of the baby is also dependent.

For this particular reason, certain anti-hypertension medicines with low medication factors are given to the affected women so that the fetus stays unaffected. 

What is Preeclampsia? 

As far as Preeclampsia is concerned, it is basically an upgraded version of gestational hypertension as it occurs whenever the normal blood pressure of a pregnant woman rises from the normal level to a much higher level due to certain conditions.

But this particular situation differs from the previous situation as, in this case, the amount of protein in the women’s urine also increases immensely, and this causes certain complications in the women’s kidneys as well.  

Although the causes behind this particular situation are similar to the causes behind gestational hypertension, there are some additions to those causes.

For example, a woman who has never had a pregnancy before is more likely to catch this particular situation in her first term of pregnancy.  

This situation also has certain other symptoms, such as the loss of vision in some persons.

To treat this situation at the very initial level, a very low dose of aspirin is given to the affected person, but if the situation does not get under control, certain heavy medications are also given to the woman.  

Main Differences Between Gestational Hypertension and Preeclampsia 

1. Gestational Hypertension is a medical condition related to blood pressure. On the other hand, Preeclampsia occurs after a combination of blood pressure with certain other conditions. 
2. Gestational Hypertension happens because of obesity, while on the other hand, Preeclampsia can have multiple causes, such as age factors and hereditary factors. 
3. Gestational Hypertension is treated with anti-hypertension medicines, while on the other hand, Preeclampsia is treated with a low dose of aspirin. 
4. Gestational Hypertension can cause complications in blood pressure, while on the other hand, Preeclampsia can cause complications in the kidney and the urine. 
5. Gestational Hypertension happens first in order, while on the other hand, Preeclampsia occurs after the occurrence of gestational hypertension. 

References

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0029784403004757  
2. https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1471-0528.1998.tb09971.x