Patient guide
Diet Advice for Hypertension in Pregnancy
What the evidence actually shows about food, salt, and blood pressure in pregnancy — and where it's still uncertain.
Before you use this guide
Diet alone does not treat high blood pressure in pregnancy — medication and close monitoring are often needed, and pre-eclampsia can develop quickly. This guide covers healthy eating habits alongside your care, not instead of it. Always follow your doctor's monitoring and treatment plan.
What's actually established
Gaining an appropriate amount of weight during pregnancy, as guided by your doctor, is recommended and can help manage blood pressure risk. Beyond this, there isn't a single diet proven to prevent or treat hypertension in pregnancy — the evidence here is less settled than it is for diabetes.
About salt restriction
You may have heard that cutting salt lowers blood pressure. In the general population, this is well established. In pregnancy, however, the evidence is different:
- Salt restriction is not recommended for gestational hypertension.
- There isn't enough evidence to recommend salt restriction for chronic (pre-existing) hypertension in pregnancy either.
This doesn't mean salt is unlimited — it means restricting it specifically as a treatment for blood pressure in pregnancy isn't something the evidence currently supports. Don't start a low-salt diet expecting it to control your blood pressure without your doctor's guidance.
A generally healthy eating pattern
Outside of pregnancy, an eating pattern known as DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) has strong evidence for lowering blood pressure. It emphasises:
- Vegetables and fruit
- Whole grains (instead of refined/white grains where possible)
- Beans, peas, and lentils
- Low-fat dairy
- Fish and other lean protein
- Nuts and seeds
Research specifically on this eating pattern during pregnancy is still limited — early studies suggest it may help, but there isn't yet enough evidence to call it a proven treatment for hypertension in pregnancy. Eating this way is a reasonable, generally healthy choice, but it is a complement to your medical care, not a replacement for it.
Foods to limit
- Processed and packaged foods
- Fatty red meat
- Sugary foods and sweetened drinks (juice, soda, sweetened tea)
Movement and lifestyle
Regular moderate exercise, avoiding tobacco, and avoiding alcohol are all associated with better blood pressure control outside of pregnancy. Check with your doctor about what activity level is safe for your specific pregnancy and blood pressure condition.
References
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Practice Bulletin No. 203: Chronic Hypertension in Pregnancy. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2019.
- Effect of the DASH Diet on the Development of Gestational Hypertension in Pregnant Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 2025.
- New York State Department of Health. Hypertensive Disorders in Pregnancy: Guideline Summary.