What is the Difference Between Gestational Hypertension and Preeclampsia?

Gestational hypertension and preeclampsia are both pregnancy-related conditions that involve elevated blood pressure after 20 weeks of pregnancy. However, there are key differences between the two:

Gestational Hypertension: This is high blood pressure without protein in the urine or other organ damage during pregnancy. It affects 10 to 25 percent of pregnancies and can lead to complications like low birth weight and preterm birth. In some cases, gestational hypertension can progress to preeclampsia.
Preeclampsia: This is a condition in which a pregnant woman develops sudden high blood pressure and may also experience dysfunction of the kidneys, liver, or brain. It can happen after 20 weeks of pregnancy and even right after birth. About 4 to 5 percent of pregnancies are complicated by preeclampsia. Women with preeclampsia are at high risk for heart complications, bleeding, stroke, and blood clots.

The main difference between gestational hypertension and preeclampsia is the presence of protein in the urine and additional symptoms in preeclampsia, such as severe headaches, confusion, shortness of breath, new swelling of the legs, and pain in the upper right stomach. Preeclampsia usually presents with more noticeable symptoms and complications, while gestational hypertension rarely involves any noticeable symptoms and is detected through high blood pressure readings.

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What is the Difference Between Gestational Hypertension and Preeclampsia?

Comparative Table: Gestational Hypertension vs Preeclampsia

Here is a table comparing the differences between gestational hypertension and preeclampsia:

Feature	Gestational Hypertension	Preeclampsia
Definition	High blood pressure after 20 weeks of pregnancy without protein in the urine.	High blood pressure after 20 weeks of pregnancy with protein in the urine and symptoms like swelling and headaches.
Causes harm	Usually causes no harm to the birthing parent or infant.	Can lead to complications such as preterm birth, poor fetal growth, and low birth weight.
Diagnosis	Diagnosed when someone has multiple high blood pressure readings after 20 weeks of pregnancy.	Diagnosed when someone has high blood pressure, protein in their urine, and symptoms like swelling and headaches.
Treatment	Treatment and careful monitoring can decrease the chances of serious complications.	May require additional treatments such as medications to lower blood pressure and magnesium to prevent seizures.
Long-term effects	Gestational hypertension usually goes away soon after birth but can increase the chances of developing high blood pressure later in life.	Preeclampsia usually goes away within 6 weeks of delivery but can have long-term effects on both the birthing parent and infant.
Progression	Up to 50% of women diagnosed with gestational hypertension will develop preeclampsia.	Preeclampsia can progress to more severe forms, including eclampsia, which involves seizures.

Please note that the table is based on the information provided in the search results, particularly from sources.

Guilherme Mazui

Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.