Inpatient versus outpatient management of gestational hypertension or preeclampsia without severe features

Objective

To compare maternal and neonatal outcomes in patients diagnosed with gestational hypertension or preeclampsia without severe features by outpatient versus inpatient management.

Materials and methods

This was a single center, retrospective, cohort study of patients with hypertensive disorder of pregnancy (HDP) before 37 weeks’ gestation from January 2014 to March 2022. Patients were triaged to inpatient or outpatient management at the discretion of their obstetrician. Patients with an initial presentation of severe features were excluded. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to compare the primary outcome, severe maternal morbidity (SMM) as defined by one or more of the 21 CDC maternal morbidity identifiers, and the secondary outcomes of maternal ICU admission, development of severe features, placental abruption, time from diagnosis to giving birth, preterm birth < 37 weeks, low birthweight (<2500 g), 5-minute Apgar score < 7, and stillbirth.

Results

A total of 272 patients met the inclusion criteria with 229 (84.2 %) being managed outpatient and 43 (15.8 %) managed inpatient. In univariate analysis, outpatient management was associated with lower incidence of SMM, an increased interval from diagnosis of HDP to giving birth, an increased interval to onset of severe features, and a lower incidence of maternal ICU admission. In multivariate analysis, outpatient management remained associated with lower odds of SMM, (aOR 0.18, 95 % CI 0.05–0.59) and improved neonatal outcomes with lower incidence of 5-minute APGAR score less than 7 (aOR 0.32, 95 % CI 0.13–0.82), low birth weight (aOR 0.37 95 % CI 0.17–0.79), and preterm birth (aOR 0.31, 95 % CI 0.15–0.67).

Conclusion

Outpatient management of HDP was associated with lower rates of SMM and adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. While not all confounding factors were measured, the clinical decision regarding HDP management settings was associated with good diagnostic capability.