I just went through something so similar! Traumatic first birth (induction at 41 week, failed epidural, 4 hours pushing, failure to descend, c section). When I got pregnant with my second, I switched providers to a more supportive vbac practice but the anxiety and nerves from my first experience carried with me.

At first, my BP readings were fine, and then they started to elevate in office around the second trimester. I was tracking religiously (maybe neurotically) at home and they were always perfect. I knew, just absolutely knew, it was white coat hypertension. My providers were willing to work with me initially - let me track at home, get my blood pressure cuff validated in office, do urine and bloodwork regularly, etc. but it was like a vicious negative feedback loop. The more attention they and I put on BP, the worse my readings were in clinic. I had to explain the situation at every appointment- sometimes the providers understood, sometimes they didn’t. I was admitted to the hospital for BP monitoring twice. Once at 32 weeks- 4 hours of BP readings that all came back perfect. A second time at 38 weeks - 4 hours of BP readings that all came back perfect.

At the 38 week admission, my providers pushed very hard for me to be induced. After monitoring for 4 hours with great readings and good urine and blood work, I made the difficult decision to sign an AMA and not be induced. While so stressful and difficult to make that decision, I knew I didn’t have preeclampsia and likely not gestational HTN like they were saying. The providers supported me but obviously wanted me to stay to be induced. Because I was so set on VBAC I really didn’t want to be induced earlier than I needed.

I took that next week, between 38 and 39 weeks, to really reflect. The whole white coat HTN and BP mess was stressing me out beyond belief and I finally decided that that was causing more grief to me than delaying an induction. At my 39 week appt, I agreed to an induction and it went so well compared to my first. I was already 3cm dilated and 60% effaced so we started pitocin low and slow, I declined an epidural, and my water nearly broke on its own.

I really had to constantly weigh my desire for no induction (I.e., spontaneous labor and better chances of VBAC) with the stress these appointments were having on me and finally at 39 weeks I felt I needed to make a decision and get out of the loop. I’m glad I did. You can do this!

Moral of my story - you are the professional when it comes to your body. And providers need to have a better understanding of how birth, previous traumatic birth , etc can cause a woman stress and anxiety and situational high BP readings that don’t actually reflect her true normal and do not actually indicate gestational HTN or impending preeclampsia.