Blood Pressure of 100/82 at 22 Weeks Pregnancy: No Cause for Concern
A blood pressure of 100/82 mmHg at 22 weeks gestation is completely normal and does not represent hypotension requiring intervention. This reading falls well within the expected physiological range for mid-pregnancy and poses no risk to you or your baby.
Why This Blood Pressure is Normal
Pregnancy causes a physiological drop in blood pressure that begins in the first trimester and reaches its lowest point in mid-pregnancy (around 20-24 weeks), after which it gradually rises back toward pre-pregnancy levels 1.
Hypertension in pregnancy is defined as BP ≥140/90 mmHg, meaning your reading of 100/82 mmHg is significantly below any threshold for concern 1.
Normal 24-hour ambulatory BP values before 22 weeks are: 24-hour average 126/76 mmHg, awake average 132/79 mmHg, and sleep average 114/66 mmHg 1. Your reading of 100/82 mmHg is well within these normal ranges.
What the Evidence Shows About Low Blood Pressure in Pregnancy
Low blood pressure during pregnancy does not cause poor outcomes when other risk factors are controlled for 2. A large prospective study of 28,095 pregnant women found that after adjusting for confounding factors (age, weight, socioeconomic status), low blood pressure was not associated with preterm birth or small-for-gestational-age infants 2.
The association between low BP and poor outcomes is due to confounding, not causation—women with genuinely low BP tend to have other risk factors that explain adverse outcomes 2.
Individual patients with compromised plasma volume expansion or pathologic homeostasis may be exceptions, but this would be evident from other clinical signs and symptoms, not from a single normal BP reading 2.
What You Should Actually Monitor For
Rather than worrying about your normal blood pressure, focus on watching for signs of hypertensive disorders, which are the actual pregnancy complications of concern:
Pre-eclampsia Warning Signs (occurring after 20 weeks):
- New-onset BP ≥140/90 mmHg with proteinuria 1
- Severe headache or visual disturbances 1
- Right upper quadrant or epigastric pain 1
- Sudden swelling (though edema occurs in 60% of normal pregnancies) 1
When to Seek Immediate Care:
- BP ≥160/110 mmHg (severe hypertension requiring urgent treatment) 1, 3, 4
- Persistent severe headache with visual changes 1
- Severe abdominal pain 1
Common Pitfall to Avoid
Do not confuse the physiological BP drop of pregnancy with pathological hypotension. The cardiovascular system undergoes normal adaptations during pregnancy, including decreased systemic vascular resistance and increased cardiac output, which naturally lower blood pressure in the second trimester 1. Your reading of 100/82 mmHg reflects these healthy adaptations, not a problem requiring treatment.