Blood Pressure in Pregnancy
About this PSP
The Blood Pressure in Pregnancy Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) was established in 2018 to identify unanswered questions about a spectrum of hypertensive disorders, including pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension, chronic hypertension and white coat hypertension.
The Blood Pressure in Pregnancy PSP Top 10 was published in July 2020.
Articles and publications
Impact after the Top 10
Key documents
Blood Pressure in Pregnancy PSP protocol
Top 10 priorities
- What are the long term physical and mental health consequences of pregnancy hypertension (including pre-eclampsia) for the woman, baby and family?
- How can we predict and prevent shorter term complications of pregnancy hypertension (including stillbirth, fetal growth restriction, neonatal death, progression to pre-eclampsia)?
- What is the best screening test for pre-eclampsia?
- Following pregnancy hypertension, what is the best way to prevent future long term problems?
- What is the cause of pregnancy hypertension (including pre-eclampsia)?
- How can pregnancy hypertension (including pre-eclampsia) be prevented in a subsequent pregnancy?
- What are the educational needs of healthcare professionals managing women with pregnancy hypertension?
- What is the best way to diagnose pre-eclampsia promptly?
- What is the best way to manage pregnancy hypertension (including optimal antenatal and postnatal antihypertensive medication and optimal timing of delivery)
- How can we provide better support for women with pregnancy hypertension and their families?
The following questions were also discussed and put in order of priority at the workshop:
- What pre-pregnancy management of women with chronic hypertension optimises pregnancy outcomes?
- What is the effectiveness and safety of antihypertensive agents at reducing blood pressure in women with pregnancy hypertension?
- What can be done prior to pregnancy to reduce the risk of pregnancy hypertension?
- Is there a hereditary link in pre-eclampsia and are the risks different for daughters and sons after an affected pregnancy?
- How can we optimise information giving for those at risk of or affected by pregnancy hypertension?
- What are the fetal, infant and child outcomes in women taking antihypertensive agents?
- What are the optimum blood pressure thresholds (for initiation) and targets for postnatal antihypertensive treatment?
- What are the optimum blood pressure thresholds (for initiation) and targets for antenatal antihypertensive treatment?
- How does the placenta contribute to pre-eclampsia?
- What is the effectiveness and safety of pharmacological treatments once pre-eclampsia is diagnosed?
Document downloads
For full details of all of the questions identified by this PSP, please see the document below.