management of chronic hypertension in postnal period
Last reviewed 01/2018
Chronic hypertension - postnatal period
- in women with chronic hypertension, blood pressure measurement after birth should be done
- daily for the first 2 days after birth
- at least once between day 3 and day 5 after birth
- as clinically indicated if antihypertensive treatment is changed after birth
- in women with chronic hypertension who have given birth, aim to keep blood pressure lower than 140/90 mmHg
- in women with chronic hypertension who have given birth:
- continue antenatal antihypertensive treatment
- review long-term antihypertensive treatment 2 weeks after the birth
- if a woman has taken methyldopa to treat chronic hypertension during pregnancy, stop within 2 days of birth and restart the antihypertensive treatment the woman was taking before she planned the pregnancy
- offer women with chronic hypertension a medical review at the postnatal review (6-8 weeks after the birth) with the pre-pregnancy care team
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