Feature
Hypertension Effects on Pregnant Mothers By Lauren Demosthenes, MD, OB-GYN and Senior Medical Advisor at Babyscripts
Hypertensive disorders with onset during pregnancies are among the leading causes of maternal and infant mortality and morbidity in the US, and can have far-reaching consequences for the long-term health of the mother and child. In Dr. Jerome Adams’ recent Call to Action to recognize and address hypertension control as a public health priority, the former Surgeon General referenced the success of health care providers who have promoted shared management of hypertension through self-measured blood pressure monitoring (SMBP), empowering patients through blood pressure (BP) management and goal setting. It’s not an unusual recommendation— SMBP is well accepted in primary care for managing hypertension — but its use in pregnancy has not been routine. That’s beginning to change, for several reasons. First, the research backs it up. Recent studies show the efficacy of SMBP for identifying and controlling hypertensive complications in the prenatal and postpartum period, notably Penn Medicine’s Heart Safe 6
Our Kids Magazine | March / April 2021
Motherhood program, which resulted in 0% readmission rates for hypertension in the postpartum period with the addition of text-based monitoring. The second major factor is the pandemic. Covid-19 motivated providers to implement virtual solutions like SMBP, with the need to deliver care remotely outweighing previous barriers to adoption. Now, even as clinics and hospitals start to reopen for routine, in-office care, patients are still anxious about attending appointments in person, especially pregnant mothers, who are more prone to anxiety even in the most normal of times. SMBP carries a double benefit — it provides a means to adhere to ACOG’s new guidelines for increased BP monitoring during the prenatal and postpartum period, and it enables care management from the comfort and safety of a patient’s home. The pregnant population is ideally suited for SMBP. Women of childbearing age are comfortable with using technology to supplement their care — in fact many expect and want it. They’re already using apps and wearable devices to monitor their menstrual cycles, regulate FRIEND US @ facebook.com/OurKidsMagazine210
