[Are the theoretical drawbacks of beta-blocker treatment in pregnancy being confirmed? A review of the literature].

The use of beta-blocking drugs in the treatment of hypertension during pregnancy has been the subject of controversies on the basis of theoretical hazards due to the pharmacology and pharmacokinetic characteristics of these drugs. A review of the literature on the subject shows that: The danger of premature contractions, abortion or premature delivery does not seem to increase with the use of beta-blockers. The blood supply is not more impaired with beta-blockers than with other antihypertensive drugs according to fetal growth, birth-weight, frequency of perinatal deaths or APGAR score. Although beta-blocking drugs pass into fetal circulation, neonatal bradycardia, respiratory distress or hypoglycemia do not seem more frequent with beta-blockers. Beta-blockers pass from maternal plasma into milk but the 24 hour dose brought to the newborn by maternal feeding is so slight as to be negligible. Thus, the cumulative data and the favorable opinions of many authors, the greater efficiency of beta-blockers authorizes the use of these drugs in the treatment of hypertension in pregnancy, where it seems to improve the outcome of the pregnancy and the state of the fetus at birth.