The Management of Hypertension in Pregnancy

Abstract

Hypertensive pregnancy disorders complicate 6% to 8% of pregnancies and cause significant maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. The goal of treatment is to prevent significant cerebrovascular and cardiovascular events in the mother without compromising fetal well-being. Current guidelines differentiate between the treatment of women with acute hypertensive syndromes of pregnancy and women with preexisting chronic hypertension in pregnancy. This review will address the management of hypertension in pregnancy, review the various pharmacologic therapies, and discuss the future directions in this field. © 2013 National Kidney Foundation, Inc.