Immediate delivery versus expectant management in women with chronic hypertension: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Introduction: The current guidelines regarding chronic hypertension during pregnancy recommend induction of labor at term. The only previous meta-analysis on this topic found two randomized controlled trials but failed to pool together their results. We aimed to find the best literature-based evidence regarding delivery timing in chronic hypertension during pregnancy.

Evidence acquisition: We searched the following electronic databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, ClinicalTrials.gov, the PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Google Scholar. We selected randomized controlled trials comparing expectant management versus immediate delivery. The search was performed by two authors and the conflicts resolved in meetings. Data collection and analysis: we collected maternal and neonatal outcomes in a metanalysis following the random-effects model.

Evidence synthesis: Two studies were found. The summary effect measure was 1.1 (C.I. 0.51-2.1) regarding the maternal outcomes, 2.6 (C.I. 0.91-7.44) regarding the neonatal outcomes, and 1.5 (C.I. 0.8-2.79) combined. There was no statistically significant difference between maternal and neonatal outcomes (P=0.2).

Conclusions: The results of our meta-analysis pointed towards a non-difference between immediate delivery and expectant management, in women with chronic hypertension.