Key result
Only 7% (4 of 54) of home blood pressure devices available in Australian pharmacies were validated for use in pregnancy, and these devices were more expensive than those validated for the general population.
Why the study?
Automatic blood pressure devices require additional accuracy validation before being recommended for use in pregnancy, but their availability in pharmacies was unknown.
Cross-Sectional (n=54)
Only 7% of home blood pressure devices available in Australian pharmacies are validated for use in pregnancy, and these are significantly more expensive than non-validated devices.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Validated pregnancy devices may limit equitable BP monitoring due to cost; leaves open need for expanded validation and affordability research.
Blood pressure monitoring is a critical aspect of prenatal care, as hypertension during pregnancy can lead to serious complications such as preeclampsia, eclampsia, and other hypertensive disorders. Automatic blood pressure devices are widely used for home monitoring due to their convenience and ease of use. Automatic blood pressure devices require additional accuracy validation before they are recommended for use in pregnancy. This study evaluated the availability of such devices from 18 Australian pharmacies. Only four devices (4/54, 7%) were validated for pregnancy and were more expensive than devices validated for the general population (14/54, 26%) and non-validated devices (40/54, 74%). Additionally, limited labelling and information was available to assist consumers to make informed purchasing decisions about home blood pressure devices for use in pregnancy. Increased availability, clear labelling and consumer education could help ensure use of appropriate blood pressure devices in pregnancy.
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Slater et al. (2025) conducted a cross-sectional in Hypertension in pregnancy (n=54). Home blood pressure devices was evaluated on Proportion of devices validated for use in pregnancy. Only 7% (4 of 54) of home blood pressure devices available in Australian pharmacies were validated for use in pregnancy, and these devices were more expensive than those validated for the general population.
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