What are the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy?
The three other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are chronic hypertension, chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia, and gestational hypertension. Women with preexisting hypertension may become pregnant so that essential hypertension is seen during pregnancy. The diagnosis of essential hypertension is made by a blood pressure ≤140/90 before 20 weeks gestation with no other explanation or a diagnosis of essential hypertension before pregnancy. These women are at increased risk for preeclampsia, giving rise to essential hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia in 25%. Gestational hypertension is hypertension that occurs late in pregnancy and is not accompanied by proteinuria or other end-organ disease of preeclampsia. It resolves postpartum but is a predictor of future essential hypertension.
