Hypertension in Pregnancy Increases Complications after Childbirth

Women with pre-eclampsia are more likely to experience severe complications after birth, a new study says.

Pre-eclampsia is a condition that triggers hypertension and will have a negative impact on both the pregnant woman and her baby. Between 5 and 8 percent of pregnancies in the United States is affected by this condition. Women suffering from pre-eclampsia will have high blood pressure, fluid retention and protein in the urine, leading to an adverse impact on the growth of the unborn baby in the uterus. The exact cause of this condition is not yet fully known. 

Previous studies have looked at the risks of experiencing hypertension during pregnancy and childbirth. However, very little is known about postpartum hypertension and the health risks posed by the condition.

For the current review, researchers looked at a previous study and analyzed the risks associated with experiencing high blood pressure after giving birth.

According to the review, experiencing hypertension after birth is a more serious affair, as it can lead to many complications including cerebral hemorrhage, and women who had hypertension during pregnancy should be monitored for three days after childbirth.

The review is based on a study that looked at the impact of pre-eclampsia in women readmitted to the hospital during the postnatal period. Pregnancy induced hypertension was found putting women at additional risks of eclampsia (16 percent), pulmonary edema (9 percent) and even death.

"There is little evidence to guide clinicians treating postpartum hypertension. Poorly managed postpartum hypertension frequently causes unnecessary concern for the patient and her carers, delays discharge from hospital and will occasionally place women at risk of significant complications," Jason Waugh, co-author of the review, said in a news release.  "Women with pre-eclampsia should be encouraged to delay discharge and once they leave hospital the community midwife should monitor blood pressure for the first 2 weeks. This is then followed up at the 6-week postnatal visit. If symptoms persist there may be an underlying cause."

The results of the study have been published in The Obstetrician and Gynaecologist (TOG).