Prevalence and management of severe intrapartum hypertension in patients with preeclampsia at an urban tertiary care medical center.

OBJECTIVES

Data on management of severe intrapartum hypertension is lacking. The aim of this study is to explore the proportion of timely interventions in severe, persistent intrapartum hypertension treatment by exploring the prevalence and management of intrapartum hypertension trends.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a retrospective case-control study of pregnant women who delivered at the University of Chicago between January 2015 and March 2017. Patients with severe preeclampsia who underwent labor (either induced or spontaneous) were stratified into two groups: severe intrapartum hypertension and no severe intrapartum hypertension.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Type of treatment and timing to treatment of severe hypertensive episodes were explored as well as prevalence of maternal adverse outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 95 patients with severe preeclampsia in labor were identified. In patients with persistent severe intrapartum hypertension (n = 52), 15 (28.9%) received treatment. Patients experiencing greater than three episodes of blood pressure elevation were more likely to receive treatment as compared to those with fewer episodes. There was no significant difference in severe maternal morbidity (SMM) between those treated within 60 min compared to those untreated or treated after 60 min (16.7% vs 27.5%; p = 0.71).

CONCLUSIONS

Management protocols of intrapartum hypertensive episodes are variable or not universally implemented. Inadequately treated episodes of severe intrapartum hypertension trend towards higher rates of SMM.