Denolle T, Calvez C, Ottavioli JN, Esnault V, Herpin D, Lebon P.
Home blood pressure during pregnancy: establishment of standards of normalcy
11th Scientific Meeting, American Society of Hypertension
Am J Hypert (Apr) 9:115A 1996

30 healthy pregnant women without history of hypertension, followed at six hospitals in France, were taught home BP monitoring with a semiautomatic oscillometric device in order to establish BP norms througout pregnancy by this technique. Office BP (by nurse at unspecified time) showed good agreement between mercury manometer (sitting, Korotkoff sound not specified) and semiautomatic device: manometer: 116/67 vs. oscillometric: 112/67. Women recorded sitting BP in morning and evening on multiple occasions in each trimester, with mean values of 103/60 (n=12, 1st trimester), 103/60 (n=23, 2nd trimester), 107/63 (n=32, 3rd trimester).

Comment: This small study, which does not include either serial comparisons of ambulatory and office BP, or (postpartum) nonpregnant values, confirms the well-described increase in BP during the 3rd trimester and the expected difference between office and ambulatory values. Whether home monitoring would provide any benefit in a high risk population cannot be discerned from this small limited study in normal gravidas. Jason G. Umans, M.D., University of Chicago

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11th Scientific Meeting, American Society of Hypertension
H: Exam and lab tests : Ambulatory monitoring
H: Special problems : Women