title: The effects of chronic maternal hypotension during pregnancy.
abstract: The relationship between chronic maternal hypotension and obstetric outcome was examined retrospectively in a group of 134 pregnant women and compared with a normotensive control group. The hypotensive women had significantly increased risks of delivery before the 38th week of gestation, lower birth-weight of babies for gestational age, and postpartum complications. In addition, the rates of preterm delivery before 37 weeks' gestation, birth-weight less than 2,500 g and significant meconium-staining of the amniotic fluid were higher in the hypotensive group, although these results did not reach statistical significance. These data support the need for a prospective study of the effects of chronic hypotension during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, N.S.W.
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Walters
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000150:complications*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies