26 Sep USPSTF: Blood Pressure Should Be Monitored Throughout Pregnancy
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Esa M. Davis, M.D., M.P.H , F.A.A.F.P
Professor of Medicine and Family and Community Medicine
Associate Vice President of Community Health and
Senior Associate Dean of pPopulation Health and Community Medicine
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Dr. Davis joined the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force in January 2021
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, including gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and eclampsia, are among the leading causes of serious complications and death for pregnant people in the United States.
Pregnant women and pregnant people of all genders should have their blood pressure measured at each prenatal visit to help find and prevent serious health issues related to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report
Response: Identifying hypertensive disorders of pregnancy is vitally important to the health of pregnant people and their babies, so the Task Force recommends screening pregnant people using blood pressure measurements throughout pregnancy. Pregnant people can be confident that this is the best evidence-based approach to screening for multiple hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, ultimately helping identify and prevent serious health issues.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a results of this study?
Response: The evidence clearly supports screening for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in all pregnant people at each prenatal visit, but there are still some important research gaps. We need more research into ways to improve access to care through different screening approaches and multilevel interventions, as well as on barriers to care throughout pregnancy.
Most deaths attributed to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy happen in the 6 weeks following delivery, but more research is needed on the best way to identify and prevent postpartum complications. More information is also needed on other ways to monitor and test for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, such as urine testing or using telehealth technology for blood pressure testing appointments.
MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add? Any disclosures?
Response: Black, Native American, and Alaska Native people are much more likely to have and die from a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. Monitoring blood pressure throughout pregnancy is an important first step, but it is not enough to improve these inequities. We are using this final recommendation to highlight more promising ways to improve health outcomes for those at a higher risk and to call for more research in these important communities.
Citation:
US Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy: US Preventive Services Task Force Final Recommendation Statement. JAMA. 2023;330(11):1074–1082. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.16991
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2809680
US Preventive Services Task Force; Barry MJ, Nicholson WK, Silverstein M, Cabana MD, Chelmow D, Coker TR, Davis EM, Donahue KE, Jaén CR, Li L, Ogedegbe G, Rao G, Ruiz JM, Stevermer J, Tsevat J, Underwood SM, Wong JB. Screening for Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy: US Preventive Services Task Force Final Recommendation Statement. JAMA. 2023 Sep 19;330(11):1074-1082. doi: 10.1001/jama.2023.16991. PMID: 37721605.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37721605/
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Last Updated on September 26, 2023 by Marie Benz