Optimal blood pressure target to prevent severe hypertension in pregnancy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Severe hypertension in pregnancy is a hypertensive crisis that requires urgent and intensive care due to its high maternal and fetal mortality. However, there is still a conflict of opinion on the recommendations of antihypertensive therapy. This study aimed to identify the optimal blood pressure (BP) levels to prevent severe hypertension in pregnant women with nonsevere hypertension. Ovid MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library were searched, and only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included if they compared the effects of antihypertensive drugs and placebo/no treatment or more intensive and less intensive BP-lowering treatments in nonsevere hypertensive pregnant patients. A random effects model meta-analysis was performed to estimate the pooled risk ratio (RR) for the outcomes. Forty RCTs with 6355 patients were included in the study. BP-lowering treatment significantly prevented severe hypertension (RR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.37-0.56), preeclampsia (RR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.69-0.98), severe preeclampsia (RR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.17-0.84), placental abruption (RR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.32-0.86), and preterm birth (< 37 weeks; RR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.71-0.93), while the risk of small for gestational age infants was increased (RR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.02-1.54). An achieved systolic blood pressure (SBP) of < 130 mmHg reduced the risk of severe hypertension to nearly one-third compared with an SBP of ≥ 140 mmHg, with a significant interaction of the BP levels achieved with BP-lowering therapy. There was no significant interaction between the subtypes of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and BP-lowering treatment, except for placental abruption. BP-lowering treatment aimed at an SBP < 130 mmHg and accompanied by the careful monitoring of fetal growth might be recommended to prevent severe hypertension.

Ritodrine therapy in the presence of chronic abruptio placentae.

BACKGROUND: Betamimetic therapy is usually contraindicated for the treatment of premature labor associated with abruptio placentae. We report prolongation of a pregnancy for 7 weeks using ritodrine despite the presence of placental abruption. CASE: A 33-year-old primigravid woman presented at 25 weeks' gestation with irregular uterine contractions, vaginal bleeding, and sonographic evidence of abruptio placentae. Port wine-colored amniotic fluid was found during amniocentesis, and serial hematocrits decreased from 36 to 25%. A diagnosis of abruptio placentae was made, and because the maternal cardiovascular and fetal biophysical indices were normal, tocolytic therapy was started. Before the administration of ritodrine, the patient and her husband were given an extensive review of the risks, including blood transfusion, adult respiratory distress syndrome, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, and maternal or fetal death. CONCLUSION: Although clinical suspicion of abruptio placentae remains a contraindication to betamimetic therapy, exceptions may be made if fetal and maternal well-being can be monitored and if a fully staffed operating room is always available for immediate cesarean delivery. The benefits of this management may outweigh the associated risks for carefully chosen, very preterm gestations.

Intrapartum anti-disseminated intravascular coagulation therapy leading to successful vaginal delivery following intrauterine fetal death caused by placental abruption: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Disseminated intravascular coagulation due to placental abruption with intrauterine fetal death is not uncommon. It can result in increased maternal mortality rates and the need for hysterectomy or greater transfusion volumes if the delivery is not completed within six to eight hours. However, consensus is lacking regarding the delivery approach for cases in which delivery is prolonged. CASE PRESENTATION: A 37-year-old Japanese woman was transported to our tertiary center two and a half hours after the onset of labor because of a diagnosis of placental abruption with intrauterine fetal death at 40 weeks and three days' gestation. On arrival, although severe hypofibrinogenemia was observed, there was no external hemorrhage. Because her cervical canal dilation was good (Bishop score, 7), labor was induced using oxytocin. Anti-disseminated intravascular coagulation therapy was simultaneously started via transfusion. After her hypofibrinogenemia resolved, delivery progressed rapidly, and the fetus was delivered approximately 10 hours after the onset. To reduce postpartum hemorrhage, 6g of fibrinogen concentrate and tranexamic acid, an antifibrinolytic agent, were administered immediately before extraction of the dead fetus and placenta. Although the amount of intrapartum hemorrhage was 1824g, there was no abnormal bleeding after delivery, and our patient was discharged three days later. CONCLUSION: In cases of placental abruption complicated with disseminated intravascular coagulation, intrapartum administration of coagulation factors can simultaneously promote effective labor and correct hypofibrinogenemia, enabling minimally invasive vaginal delivery.