Patient discussions

Women with gestational hypertension should promptly report any symptoms, including decreased fetal movement.[1]​​[5]​​ Self-monitoring of blood pressure (BP) may be feasible as an adjunct to office-based surveillance for pregnant women at risk of preeclampsia, although two linked trials found that while self-monitoring seemed safe, it made no difference to the timing of diagnosis or control of high BP.[66][67][68]​​​​​​ One small mixed-methods study supported the acceptability and accuracy of self-testing of urine for proteinuria during pregnancy.[68][69][70]​​

Women should be instructed to recognize symptoms of severe preeclampsia, such as blurred vision, headache, peripheral edema, or upper abdominal pain.[1][5]​​

After delivery, all women who had gestational hypertension should undergo a medical review 6-8 weeks after the birth.[5]

Women with gestational hypertension who are overweight or obese should engage in healthy lifestyle changes in order to prevent progression to chronic hypertension.[71]

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