Treating milder forms of pre-existing high blood pressure during pregnancy improves some outcomes (Preeclampsia & preterm birth)

Medical Xpress / New England Journal of Medicine ^ | Apr. 4, 2022 | Alan T. Tita et al

[ConservativeMind]

Treating even mildly elevated, or non-severe, blood pressure during pregnancy reduces the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and is unlikely to harm the developing baby, according to a study.

When compared with pregnant women whose mild hypertension wasn't treated, those who received medications to lower their blood pressure to less than 140/90 mmHg had about a 20% reduction in the combined rate of severe preeclampsia, preterm birth before 35 weeks, abruption and fetal or newborn death. The benefits of treating mild chronic hypertension, defined as high blood pressure that is less than 160/110 mmHg, remained even after controlling for other factors that may have played a role.

It is estimated that 2% of women enter pregnancy with high blood pressure. Of these, a majority (up to 80%) have mild chronic hypertension.

Researchers found significantly lower rates of the primary outcome—a composite of preeclampsia with severe features, preterm birth less than 35 weeks, abruption and neonatal/fetal death—among pregnant women who received treatment compared with those who did not, occurring in 30.2% vs. 37%, respectively. When looking at each outcome individually, antihypertensive treatment significantly lowered the risk for preeclampsia and birth before 35 weeks.

Researchers did not see a significant difference in the rate of babies who were small for gestational age—the study's safety endpoint—between the two groups, with 11.2% of babies in the treatment group and 10.4% of babies in the no treatment group falling below the 10th percentile.

Fewer women in the treatment group experienced any preeclampsia or preterm birth compared with women in the no treatment group (24.4% vs. 31% and 27.5% vs. 31.4%, respectively). In general, maternal cardiovascular outcomes appeared more favorable among women whose hypertension was treated, especially for maternal death, pulmonary edema, kidney failure and ICU admissions. The same was true for severe neonatal complications.

[ConservativeMind]

It’s worth it to bring down the blood pressure during pregnancy.

[ConservativeMind]

The “Take Charge Of Your Health” Ping List

This potentially high volume ping list is for health articles and studies which describe something you or your doctor, when informed, may be able to implement for your benefit.

Now keeping a new list (“Common/Top Issues”) for conditions expected to only concern at least 1% of the population. Ask to be on either the “Common/Top Issues” or “Everything” list.

Please email or private message me if you want on or off of a list and of which list you desire.