Hypertension in pregnancy and pre-eclampsia

Abstract

Hypertension affects 8–10% of pregnancies and is the most common medical disorder in pregnancy. Despite continuing research and guideline development, maternal mortality from hypertensive diseases in pregnancy has increased in the last 6 years. It is vital that physicians are aware of the signs and symptoms, along with differing maternal treatment thresholds, of hypertension in pregnancy to ensure expeditious identification and treatment. New-onset hypertension developing at any stage of pregnancy requires a full history, examination and investigations to delineate an underlying cause and assess for target organ damage and the presence of pre-eclampsia to assign risk. Developing a hypertensive disorder in pregnancy increases a woman's life-long cardiometabolic risk; using this opportunity to inform and improve cardiovascular risk factors helps to prevent life-long health implications.