Blood pressure medicines and your baby

If you have been prescribed medicines to lower your blood pressure, tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding. They will discuss what is safe for you and your baby. 

The Breastfeeding Network offers guidance on taking medicines and breastfeeding.

Speak to your GP or maternity team if you need further information.

Risks of high blood pressure

If your blood pressure is too high, it puts strain on your blood vessels, heart and other organs, such as your brain, kidneys and eyes.

Having high blood pressure during pregnancy can increase the likelihood of having high blood pressure or heart disease later in life.

Due to your pre-eclampsia, you have a:

  • 1 in 5 chance of having any type of high blood pressure in a future pregnancy.
  • 1 in 6 chance of having pre-eclampsia in a future pregnancy. 

You are also more likely to develop the following:

  • gestational hypertension in a future pregnancy
  • chronic (long-term) hypertension in later life
  • a major health problem like stroke, heart attack or death in later life.

Control your high blood pressure

Lowering your blood pressure, even a small amount, can help reduce these risks.

Try to maintain a healthy lifestyle, healthy body weight and avoid smoking.

Speak to your GP for further guidance on how you can reduce your future health risks. See links under More information, below.

Future pregnancy

As well as reducing your long-term health risks, lowering your high blood pressure is important for your safety in future pregnancies.

Tell your GP or health specialist team if you are planning to have another baby.  Do this before you become pregnant.

If you take blood pressure medicines, your GP or health specialist team can advise you on whether they are safe to take during pregnancy.

If you become pregnant, speak to your GP before you stop taking any of your medicines.

Advice when pregnant

To reduce your risk of pre-eclampsia, we recommend you take aspirin while you are pregnant.

  • Talk to your midwife or GP to get a prescription.

  • Take aspirin (75 to 150 mg) every night starting at 12 weeks, and until 36 weeks of pregnancy.

  • Do this unless there are reasons, such as bleeding or allergies, that make it unsuitable for you.

More information

NHS advice on high blood pressure

NHS advice on how to stop smoking

NHS advice on making healthy lifestyle choices

The Breastfeeding Network

Contact information

Maternity Triage

Telephone:

020 8934 2802