What blood pressure counts as pre-eclampsia?
In short
- Pre-eclampsia means blood pressure goes high, after being normal, usually after 20 weeks.
- 140 over 90 or higher, on two checks, counts as high blood pressure.
- A reading over 160 over 110 is severe, and usually needs urgent care.
- Your doctor checks more than blood pressure alone — also your urine and other signs.
What happens
- Your blood pressure is checked with a cuff at every antenatal visit.
- If it's high, your provider usually checks it again to confirm, and may also test your urine and blood for other signs of pre-eclampsia.
- Your care plan depends on how high the reading is and whether other signs are present.
The details: numbers and where they differ
In the source's own words
A sudden spike in blood pressure (more than 160/110 mm Hg) can also happen during pregnancy or after the baby is born. This is a medical emergency.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), High Blood Pressure - Pregnancy and High Blood Pressure. Quoted verbatim.
The numbers
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Hypertension in pregnancy (diagnostic threshold) (pregnant women, previously normal blood pressure, ≥20 weeks gestation, on two occasions ≥4 hours apart) | ≥140/≥90 mm Hg (systolic/diastolic) | American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) |
| Severe-range hypertension in pregnancy (pregnant women) | >160/110 mm Hg | National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) |
When to call your doctor
- If you get a severe headache, vision changes (blurring, flashing lights), sudden swelling of your face or hands, or pain under your ribs — seek care promptly, even outside a scheduled visit.
- If your reading is over 160/110 at any check, this is treated as severe and needs urgent medical attention.
Discuss your results with your doctor: this page reports what these sources say, not advice for your situation.
Sources
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), Preeclampsia and High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy (Patient FAQ). Named as the guideline this section describes; its text and tables are not reproduced here (All rights reserved (cite only)). States the diagnostic threshold for hypertension in pregnancy as 140 mm Hg systolic and/or 90 mm Hg diastolic or higher, previously normal blood pressure, confirmed on two occasions at least 4 hours apart, at or after 20 weeks.
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), High Blood Pressure - Pregnancy and High Blood Pressure. Quoted verbatim. US Government work (public domain).
Sources checked 2026-09-26. How we source and check every page.
Educational summary of named sources, not medical advice.