USPSTF Recommends Screening for Several Hypertensive Disorders in Pregnancy
The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has released an updated recommendation statement on screening for hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, which includes screening patients with blood pressure measurements throughout the pregnancy.1
According to the statement, the rate of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy has been increasing since 1993, which saw about 500 cases per 10,000 deliveries to about 1021 cases per 10,000 deliveries from 2016 to 2017. Further, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy were found to be responsible for approximately 6.8% of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States from 2014 to 2017, with most deaths occurring 6 weeks following delivery.
In the USPSTF’s previous version of the recommendation, screening for preeclampsia was the focus. Now, the update expands upon the past recommendation to include screening for additional conditions such as gestational hypertension, eclampsia, and chronic hypertension. The recommendation states that, “to achieve the benefit of screening, it is important that persons who screen positive receive evidence-based management of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.”
USPSTF member Esa Davis, MD, MPH, continues, saying in a Task Force bulletin, “The Task Force continues to find that measuring blood pressure at each prenatal visit is an effective way to screen for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy,” Dr Davis said. “Because these conditions can cause serious health issues, screening is an important way to keep pregnant people and their babies healthy.”
The recommendation applies to all pregnant persons without a known diagnosis of hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. An assessment of risk, screening tests, screening interval, treatment, and implementation were all outlined for clinicians to reference.
Reference:
- US Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. JAMA. 2023;330(11):1074-1082. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.16991
- US Preventive Services Task Force. Task Force issues final recommendation statement on screening for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. US Preventive Services Task Force; September 19, 2023. Accessed November 8, 2023. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/sites/default/files/file/supporting_documents/hypertensive-disorders-pregnancy-final-rec-bulletin.pdf