The effect of impedance cardiography directed antihypertensive therapy on fetal growth restriction rates and perinatal mortality in women with chronic hypertension.

OBJECTIVES

We sought to determine the effect of impedance cardiography directed medical antihypertensive therapy on fetal growth restriction and perinatal mortality in women with chronic hypertension.

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective study was conducted on 958 women referred to the Maternal Hypertension Center at Cabell Huntington Hospital between 2005 and 2014 for the indication of chronic hypertension.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Serial assessments of maternal hemodynamics were obtained using non-invasive impedance cardiography. Vasodilators were initiated for increased systemic vascular resistance. Elevated cardiac output was treated with beta blockade.

RESULTS

Blood pressure at initial visit was used to stratify patients into five groups. Initial blood pressure of <130 systolic or <80 diastolic had 24 cases of growth restriction (6.8%) and 6 perinatal deaths (1.7%), 130-139 systolic or 80-89 diastolic resulted in 29 cases of growth restriction (9.3%) and 9 perinatal deaths (2.9%), 140-149 systolic or 90-99 diastolic 14 cases of growth restriction (6.5%) and 3 perinatal deaths (1.4%), 150-159 systolic or 100-109 diastolic had 5 cases of growth restriction (8.6%) and 4 perinatal deaths (6.89%), and >160 systolic or >110 diastolic 3 cases of growth restriction (13%) with no perinatal deaths. There were no differences in growth restriction (p = .59) or perinatal death (p = .15) between the groups.

CONCLUSION

The rates of IUGR and perinatal mortality did not increase even with increasing severity of maternal hypertension. This low cost and non-invasive test should be considered for optimizing rates of growth restriction and perinatal mortality in pregnancies complicated by chronic hypertension.