Hypertension in pregnancy and its management

The most common medical complications of pregnancy is hypertension and its disorder which are an important cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide.1 During normal gestation period systolic pressure changes slightly whereas diastolic pressure drops by 10 mm Hg early in 13 to 20 weeks and increases again to pre-pregnancy levels in the third trimester. [1] The term hypertension in pregnancy is actually a very broad term which has further conditions in which blood pressure varies accordingly. All current definitions and classification schemes have certain pitfalls as they relate to clinical diagnosis and management. Nevertheless, a recent report by the Working Group on High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy recommended using the classification system proposed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists even though this classification is not accepted in many countries outside the United States.2 In this review, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy will be divided into three categories: chronic hypertension, gestational hypertension, and preeclampsia (Table 1)