How is pregnancy-induced hypertension diagnosed?
During routine prenatal tests, your weight gain, blood pressure and urine protein are monitored. If you have symptoms of PIH, as listed above, additional blood tests may be ordered, which would show abnormal results if PIH is present.
If PIH is suspected, a non-stress test may be performed. During the non-stress test, an ultrasound transducer records the baby's heart rate and a pressure transducer (called the toco transducer) records uterine activity. Each time you feel the baby move, you make a mark on a graph paper which displays the fetal heart rate and uterine activity.
Usually the fetal heart rate increases when the fetus moves, just as your heart beats faster when you exercise. Certain changes in the fetal heart rate are considered a sign of good health.
