Fetal outcome in trial of antihypertensive treatment in pregnancy.
242 women completed a controlled trial of methyldopa ('Aldomet') for moderate hypertension in pregnancy. Active treatment was associated with a significantly improved fetal outcome, due in part to a reduced number of mid-pregnancy abortions. There were 9 pregnancy losses in the control group, which included 4 mid-pregnancy abortions, and 1 fetal loss in the treated group. The birthweight and maturity of viable infants were similar in treated and control groups, and a detailed multivariate analysis confirmed that hypotensive treatment had no effect on fetal growth in utero. The better outcome associated with treatment was not due to the prevention of pre-eclampsia, and may be partly due to a direct or indirect effect of methyldopa on uterine activity. Methyldopa is safe to use for the treatment of hypertension in pregnancy in the context of close medical and obstetric supervision.
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000453:epidemiology; D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000453:epidemiology; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006128:Growth; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D008750:Methyldopa / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second
D008750:Methyldopa