Fast forward to the Middle Ages, when medical knowledge was still in its, ahem, "dark ages". Doctors thought gestational hypertension was caused by an imbalance of bodily fluids (yep, you read that right – fluids!). They treated it with all sorts of wacky remedies, from bloodletting to applying poultices made of weird herbs. Yeah, because that's exactly what a pregnant woman needs – more leeches on her belly!
As medical science advanced, so did our understanding of gestational hypertension. By the 19th century, doctors had started to notice that high blood pressure during pregnancy was a pretty big deal. They began to study it more closely, and soon realized that it was a major risk factor for preeclampsia – a condition that can be deadly for both mom and baby.
