Blood pressure monitoring during pregnancy

Hypertensive disease in pregnancy represents a significant health problem in the world, and ranks second only to thromboembolism as a cause of maternal mortality in the USA. In addition, hypertension is associated with both perinatal morbidity and mortality secondary to direct effects on the fetus as well as the iatrogenic preterm deliveries performed for maternal indications. Conventional (office, mercury column or aneroid manometry) blood pressure measurement is the most common screening test performed during prenatal visits. During the past several years, investigators have focused on the use of 24-h ambulatory and automated self (or home) blood pressure monitoring during pregnancy. This review article summarizes the current literature on both ambulatory and home blood pressure monitoring in pregnancy and how they relate to various clinical aspects of hypertension in pregnancy.