Table 1.

Classification of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

Mild preeclampsia	New onset of sustained elevated blood pressure after 20 weeks’ gestation in a previously normotensive woman (≥140 mm Hg systolic or ≥90 mm Hg diastolic on at least 2 occasions 6 hours apart Proteinuria of at least 1+ on a urine dipstick or ≥300 mg in a 24 hour urine collection after 20 weeks’
Severe preeclampsia (above criteria plus any of the items listed)	Blood pressure ≥160 mmHg systolic or ≥110 mmHg diastolic Urine protein excretion of at least 5 grams in a 24 hour collection Neurologic disturbances (visual changes, headache, seizures, coma) Pulmonary edema Hepatic dysfunction (elevated liver transaminases2 or epigastric pain) Renal compromise (oliguria or elevated serum creatinine concentration, ≥ 1.2 is considered abnormal in women with no history of renal disease) Thrombocytopenia Placental abruption, fetal growth restriction, or oligohydramnios
Eclampsia	seizures that occur in a preeclamptic women that can not be attributed to other causes.
Superimposed preeclampsia	sudden and sustained increase in blood pressure with or without substantial increase in proteinuria. new onset proteinuria (≥300 mg in a 24 hour protein collection) in a woman with chronic hypertension and no proteinuria prior to 20 weeks’* sudden increase in proteinuria or a sudden increase in blood pressure in a woman with previously well controlled hypertension in a women with elevated blood pressure and proteinuria prior to 20 weeks of gestation* Thrombocytopenia, abnormal liver enzymes, or a rapid worsening of renal function *Precise diagnosis is often challenging and high clinical suspicion is warranted given the increase maternal and fetal/neonatal risks associated with superimposed preeclampsia**
HELLP syndrome	presence of hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets. This may or may not occur in the presence of hypertension and is often considered a variant of preeclampsia
Gestational hypertension	New onset of sustained elevated blood pressure after 20 weeks’ gestation in a previously normotensive woman (≥140 mm Hg systolic or ≥90 mm Hg diastolic on at least 2 occasions 6 hours apart No proteinuria