Can a low-resource-use blood pressure device impact on global maternal mortality?
BACKGROUND
Hypertension in pregnancy in the developing world is largely underreported, misdiagnosed, and untreated, especially in rural settings, though it contributes significantly to maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. To reduce general global cardiovascular and cerebrovascular morbidity and mortality, the World Health Organization aims to develop and validate low-resource-use blood pressure devices for use in developing nations.


OBJECTIVE
To describe how existing antenatal care systems provide a useful and relevant model through which to evaluate the potential for this initiative to be applied in low-resource settings and to offer opportunities for much needed further research.
Maternal and Fetal Research Unit, St. Thomas' Hospital, Kings College London, UK.
Elinor Chloe
EC
Baker
Andrew
A
van der Westhuizen
Kate E
KE
Duhig
Andrew
A
Shennan
D015924:Blood Pressure Monitors; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000401:mortality*; D008427:Maternal Health Services; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D011247:Pregnancy