Hypertensive disease of pregnancy

Hypertensive disease of pregnancy, also known as maternal hypertensive disorder, is a group of high blood pressure disorders that include preeclampsia, preeclampsia superimposed on chronic hypertension, gestational hypertension, and chronic hypertension. Maternal hypertensive disorders occurred in about 20.7 million women in 2013. About 10% of pregnancies globally are complicated by hypertensive diseases. In the United States, hypertensive disease of pregnancy affects about 8% to 13% of pregnancies. Rates have increased in the developing world. They resulted in 29,000 deaths in 2013 down from 37,000 deaths in 1990. They are one of the three major causes of death in pregnancy (16%) along with post partum bleeding (13%) and puerperal infections (2%). Although many pregnant women with high blood pressure have healthy babies without serious problems, high blood pressure can be dangerous for both the mother and baby. Women with pre-existing, or chronic, high blood pressure are more likely to have certain complications during pregnancy than those with normal blood pressure. However, some women develop high blood pressure while they are pregnant (often called gestational hypertension). Chronic poorly-controlled high blood pressure before and during pregnancy puts a pregnant woman and her baby at risk for problems. It is associated with an increased risk for maternal complications such as preeclampsia, placental abruption (when the placenta separates from the wall of the uterus), and gestational diabetes. These women also face a higher risk for poor birth outcomes such as preterm delivery, having an infant small for his/her gestational age, and infant death. Some women have a greater risk of developing hypertension during pregnancy. These are: Women with chronic hypertension (high blood pressure before becoming pregnant). Women who developed high blood pressure or preeclampsia during a previous pregnancy, especially if these conditions occurred early in the pregnancy. Women who are obese prior to pregnancy.