Blood pressure in the midtrimester and future eclampsia

Abstract

The purpose of this report was to investigate the potential usefulness of average mean arterial pressure, maximal mean arterial pressure, and maximal diastolic pressure during the second trimester in predicting the development of eclampsia in 207 nulliparas and 20 multiparas with eclampsia. In the nulliparas, both the mean arterial pressure and the maximal mean arterial pressure during the second trimester were greater than or equal to 90 mm Hg in 22% and 34% of the patients, respectively. For the multiparas, the percentages with greater than or equal to 90 mm Hg were 30% and 35%, respectively. Only 8.7% of nulliparas with eclampsia had a maximal diastolic pressure during the second trimester greater than or equal to 80 mm Hg and no patient had a diastolic pressure of greater than or equal to 90 mm Hg. A review of the literature suggests that the mean arterial pressure observed during the second trimester has poor predictive value for future development of preeclampsia-eclampsia. We conclude that there is no correlation between second-trimester blood pressure recordings and subsequent eclampsia.