Ever heard of this?

[Om Girl]

Have you ever heard of treating pre-existing hypertension in pregnancy with epidural anesthesia to reduce the risk of "stroking out"?
Just dealing with this situation in the hospital with a doula client right now..

[Veritaserum]

I have heard of epidural use to lower blood pressure, but that has been during labor.

[1stimestar]

It's one of the few PROs of epidural. It's a great option for those women who can not get their b/p down and is headed directly for c-section due to it.

[MidwifeErika]

Yep, I have heard of it and had it used to lower my blood pressure during my first birth. I was given the option of more mag. or an epidural..... I was all over that epirdural!! It did a beautiful job of lowering my blood pressure and I felt so much better having an epidural than how I felt on the magnesium sulfate.... that stuff makes a person feel like poopoo.

[Malga]

I have heard of this, but I don't think its a great treatment option-- its really just masking the issue. Sometimes BP drops so much and so fast that the baby goes into distress (cuz baby is used to higher pressure) and then your headed directly for a c-section. People with totally normal pregnancies and BP can have the baby go into distress from an epidural (commonly called an epi-dip). I would say working on the HTN first would be a better option.

[DoomaYula]

Alex suggested it on "Grey's Anatomy" for Ava/Rebecca.

Not that I watch it. :

[Om Girl]

Update:

Mom, after 16.5 hours of labor (after ROM, pitocin, active labor) received the epidural and then had her cesarean at 1am this morning. Both mom and baby were doing fine when I left. They were exhausted, but doing well. Baby just refused to come down below -2 station. They ruled it a case of CPD.