Hypertension in pregnancy: A study of 142 women presenting before 32 weeks' gestation

This study evaluates the outcome of 142 consecutive pregnancies in women in whom hypertension was diagnosed before 32 weeks' gestation and who were managed by a team comprising obstetricians, physicians and perinatologists. Arterial pressure was lowered to 140/90 mmHg or lower with clonidine hydrochloride or methyldopa therapy to which, in most cases, a vasodilator, hydralazine or diazoxide was added. The outcome of patients who were managed by the multidisciplinary team from the clinical onset of their disease was compared to the outcome of those who were transferred after the onset of hypertension from other centres. A greater perinatal mortality rate was found among the infants of patients with pre-eclampsia and patients with essential hypertension in pregnancy when the mothers were referred late for management. Reasons for the difference in pregnancy outcome are not clear. Possible explanations are discussed which emphasize the need for further study to establish optimal management of this common complication of pregnancy.