ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy remain a major cause of maternal, fetal, and neonatal morbidity and mortality not only in developing but also in developed countries. Pregnant women with hypertension are at a higher risk for severe complications such as abruptio placentae, cerebrovascular accident, organ failure, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. The fetus is at risk for intrauterine growth retardation, prematurity, and intrauterine death. Hypertension is the most common medical problem in pregnancy; it may complicate about 10% of the pregnancies and accounts for approximately a quarter of all antenatal admissions. As women in developed countries, presently, delay childbirth, the impact of preexisting hypertension will increase, because the prevalence of hypertension increases with age. In 70% of the cases, hypertension develops after 20 weeks’ gestation, and only 30% of the cases with hypertension are women with preexisting hypertension.
