[Hypertension in pregnancy: management protocols and pregnancy outcome followed at our ambulatory service].
OBJECTIVE
To verify the usefulness of an outpatient Clinic for Hypertension in Pregnancy after 10 years of activity.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis of the outcomes of pregnancies followed at our outpatient Clinic from 1980 through 1990 was performed.


METHODS
607 pregnant women were followed-up: 179 patients developed gestational hypertension during one or more of their previous pregnancies, 275 were affected by chronic hypertension and 213 developed hypertension during the present pregnancy.


METHODS
Detailed protocols of treatment and management of patients were observed. RELIEFS: Pregnancy outcomes regarding the incidence of preeclampsia and small for gestational age (SGA) newborns was evaluated. The outcome was considered good when gestational age at delivery was more than 36 weeks and neonatal birthweight was adequate for gestational age.


RESULTS
The patients with preeclampsia in previous pregnancies developed this complication in 5%; patients with gestational hypertension in the actual pregnancy or with chronic hypertension had a significant proteinuria in 12% and 6.2% of cases respectively. Higher incidence of SGA was found in patients who developed preeclampsia (58%) and in chronic hypertensive pregnancies (34%), while only 13% of SGA was in patients with hypertension in previous pregnancies.


CONCLUSIONS
From our experience we can conclude that an outpatient Clinic for hypertension in pregnancy is extremely useful to give the opportunity for application of same criteria of management and therapy. This allow to admit to the hospital only patients with any signs of development of preeclampsia.
D000553:Ambulatory Care; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000628:therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000628:therapy*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies
Patologia ipertensiva in gravidanza: protocolli assistenziali ed esiti delle gravidanze seguite presso il nostro ambulatorio.