Screening for Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy: Updated Evidence Report and Systematic Review for the US Preventive Services Task Force

Abstract

(JAMA. 2023;330:11:1083–1091) The incidence of hypertensive disorders, including pre-eclampsia, during pregnancy has been increasing since the early 1990s, putting more pregnant women and neonates at risk of death or illness. The Black population is affected disproportionately, with the risk of dying of pre-eclampsia 5 times higher for Blacks than for Whites. In 2017, the US Preventive Services Task Force recommended screening pregnant women for pre-eclampsia by taking blood pressure (BP) readings throughout pregnancy at office visits. This systematic review examined different screening protocols to evaluate if some were more effective than others.