Table 2.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

In pregnancy, hypertension is defined as systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg confirmed on 2 or more occasions and severe HTN is systolic blood pressure ≥160 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥110 mmHg confirmed on 2 or more measurements at least 15 min apart

	Timing of Diagnosis	Additional Information
Chronic hypertension	Predating pregnancy or occurring at <20 weeks of gestation or persists ≥ 12 weeks post delivery	Prevalent in 0.9–1.5% of pregnant women 20–50% with chronic hypertension may develop preeclampsia
Gestational Hypertension	≥ 20 weeks after gestation	Prevalent in 6–7% 10–25% can progress to having preeclempsia
Preeclampsia*	≥ 20 weeks after gestation	Prevalent in 5–7% Definition: Hypertension AND Proteinuria (≥300 mg per 24-hour urine collection or protein:creatinine ratio ≥0.3 or urine dipstick reading ≥2+) OR Any new onset feature of severe preeclampsia* If preeclampsia is accompanied with generalized seizures not due to other causes then women is diagnosed with Eclampsia
Chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia		Definition: Chronic hypertension AND a sudden increase in BP previously well controlled or an increase in antihypertensive therapy to control BP OR New onset proteinuria or increase in proteinuria

BP: blood pressure

^*

Severe features of preeclampsia include:

1. Thrombocytopenia (platelet count <100*10⁹ L)
2. Impaired liver function not accounted for by other causes: abnormally elevated liver transaminase levels (at least twice the normal concentration) or severe persistent right upper quadrant or epigastric pain unresponsive to medication
3. Progressive renal insufficiency (serum creatinine concentration >1.1 mg/dL or a doubling of the serum creatinine concentration in the absence of other renal disease.
4. Pulmonary edema
5. New onset headache unresponsive to medication and not accounted for by other causes
6. Visual disturbances