Table 1.

Hypertensive complications of pregnancy.¹⁶

Term	Definition
Gestational hypertension	Blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mmHg first time during pregnancy Blood pressure returns to normal 12 weeks postpartum
Preeclampsia	Minimum criteria
	Blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mmHg after 20 weeks of gestation
	Proteinuria ≥300 mg/24 hours or +1 dipstick
	Increased certainty of preeclampsia
	Blood pressure ≥ 160/110 mmHg
	Proteinuria 2.0 g/24 hours or +2 dipstick
	Serum creatinine >1.2 mg/dl (new onset)
	Platelets <100,000/mm3
	Microangiopathic hemolysis (increased LDH)
	Elevated ALT or AST
	Persistent headaches or other cerebral or visual disturbance
	Persistent epigastric pain
HELLP syndrome (old terminology)	Hemolysis, Elevated Liver functions, Low Platelets
Eclampsia	Preeclampsia plus seizures
Superimposed preeclampsia (on chronic hypertension)	New onset proteinuria ≥300 mg/24 hours in hypertensive women but no proteinuria before 20 weeks of gestation Sudden increase in proteinuria or blood pressure or platelet count <100,000/mm3 in women with hypertension and proteinuria before 20 weeks of gestation
Chronic hypertension	Blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mmHg before pregnancy or diagnosed before20 weeks of gestation not attributable to gestational trophoblastic disease Or Hypertension first diagnosed after 20 weeks of gestation and persistent after 12 weeks postpartum

ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase.