Preeclampsia blood pressure log

ACOG's threshold for hypertension in pregnancy is 140/90 — if either number reaches it (140 or more on top, or 90 or more on the bottom), the reading is elevated and worth a call to your provider the same day. Readings of 160/110 or higher, on either number, are severe-range: confirmed severe readings are treated as an emergency in pregnancy and need care right away, not at the next visit. And below 140/90 isn't a guarantee — your provider may set a tighter personal goal for you, and warning symptoms matter regardless of the numbers. This log applies those ACOG cut-offs to every reading you enter.

First, don't panic, and don't dismiss it either. A single reading can run high for mundane reasons: a rushed measurement, a too-small cuff, crossed legs, caffeine, or just hurrying up the stairs. Sit quietly for five minutes, feet flat and back supported, and take it again. If the repeat is still 140/90 or higher, call your provider or clinic today and tell them both numbers — that's exactly what home monitoring is for. If any reading is 160/110 or higher, recheck in 15 minutes; if it's still that high, that's severe range: call now, and go to the emergency room if you can't reach anyone.

Five in particular: a severe headache that won't go away, vision changes (blurring, flashing spots or lights, light sensitivity), pain in the upper right belly under the ribs, chest pain or trouble breathing, and a baby moving noticeably less than usual. These are classic warning signs of severe preeclampsia, and they matter even when your blood pressure numbers look fine — preeclampsia can escalate quickly, and symptoms sometimes show up before the cuff does. If any of them appear, call your provider or maternity unit immediately; if you can't reach them, go to the emergency room. This tool flags them the same way: symptoms override the numbers, always.

Technique moves the numbers more than people expect. Use a validated upper-arm cuff monitor (not a wrist or finger one) with a cuff that actually fits your arm. For 30 minutes beforehand, skip caffeine, exercise, and smoking; empty your bladder first. Sit with your back supported and feet flat on the floor, legs uncrossed, and rest for a full five minutes. Support your arm on a table at heart level, put the cuff on your bare arm, and don't talk during the measurement. Measure at the same times each day, and if your provider asks for it, take two readings a minute apart and log both. That's the American Heart Association's home-measurement method, and it's what makes your log worth reading.

Yes — and this catches people out. Postpartum preeclampsia most often appears within the first days after delivery, but the risk window runs to about six weeks after birth, and it can affect people who had completely normal blood pressure through the whole pregnancy. The thresholds and warning signs are the same: readings of 140/90 or higher deserve a same-day call, 160/110 or higher is an emergency, and a severe headache or vision changes after delivery are never 'just exhaustion.' If you were asked to monitor at home, keep logging after the birth, and take postpartum symptoms exactly as seriously as pregnant ones.

Yes, and we treat that as non-negotiable. Everything you log stays in your own browser on this device using local storage — it is never sent to a server, tied to an account, or shared, and using the tool tells us nothing about you. You can export the log as plain text to bring to an appointment, and wipe it instantly with the 'Delete my log' button. In a post-Dobbs environment we treat reproductive health data as sensitive by default. Remember this is a log and an educational read-out, not a diagnostic device, medical advice, or a substitute for your provider's monitoring.