Hypertension is killing pregnant mothers. Blood pressure monitoring can help.

"Hypertensive disorders with onset during pregnancies are among the leading causes of maternal and infant mortality and morbidity in the U.S. and can have far-reaching consequences for the long-term health of the mother and child.

In Dr. Jerome Adams’ recent Call to Action to recognize and address hypertension control as a public health priority, the former Surgeon General referenced the success of health care providers who have promoted shared management of hypertension through self-measured blood pressure monitoring (SMBP), empowering patients through blood pressure (BP) management and goal setting.

It’s not an unusual recommendation— SMBP is well accepted in primary care for managing hypertension — but its use in pregnancy has not been routine. That’s beginning to change for several reasons."

Lauren Demosthenes is an obstetrician-gynecologist.

She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Hypertension is killing pregnant mothers. Blood pressure monitoring can help." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2021/03/hypertension-is-killing-pregnant-mothers-blood-pressure-monitoring-can-help.html)