Guidance
Recommendations for research
Recommendations for research
As part of the 2019 update, the guideline committee made 6 research recommendations on the management of pregnancy with chronic hypertension, pre-eclampsia, fetal monitoring, the use of antihypertensives in breastfeeding and advice and follow‑up. A research recommendation from the 2010 guideline which was superseded by these new research recommendations was deleted, and 3 research recommendations where research was now underway or had been completed were also deleted.
Key recommendations for research
1 Management of chronic hypertension in pregnancy
In women who need treatment for chronic hypertension in pregnancy, what is the effectiveness and safety of antihypertensive agents (compared in head-to-head trials) in improving maternal and perinatal outcomes? [2019]
For a short explanation of why the committee made this recommendation for research, see the rationale and impact section on pre-eclampsia.
Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review A: interventions for chronic hypertension.
2 Management of hypertension in pregnancy
In women who need treatment for hypertension in pregnancy, what are the adverse neonatal outcomes associated with maternal use of beta blockers (or mixed alpha-beta blockers)? [2019]
For a short explanation of why the committee made this recommendation for research, see the rationale and impact section on chronic hypertension.
Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review A: interventions for chronic hypertension.
3 Management of pre-eclampsia
In which women with pre-eclampsia is inpatient management associated with better outcomes for women and babies? [2019]
For a short explanation of why the committee made this recommendation for research, see the rationale and impact section on pre-eclampsia.
Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review B: monitoring gestational hypertension.
4 Antihypertensive treatment during the postnatal period
In women who need treatment for high blood pressure after birth, what is the effectiveness and safety (including in breastfeeding women) of antihypertensive agents in achieving adequate blood pressure control? [2019]
For a short explanation of why the committee made this recommendation for research, see the rationale and impact section on antihypertensive treatment during breastfeeding.
Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review E: postnatal management of hypertension.
5 Fetal monitoring
In women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, what is the optimal fetal monitoring strategy to detect small for gestational age infants? [2019]
For a short explanation of why the committee made this recommendation for research, see the rationale and impact section on fetal monitoring.
Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review B: monitoring gestational hypertension.
Other recommendations for research (from 2010 guideline)
6 Advice and follow-up at transfer to community care
In women who have had hypertension during pregnancy, what interventions reduce the risk of a) recurrent hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and b) subsequent cardiovascular disease? [2019]
For a short explanation of why the committee made this recommendation for research, see the rationale and impact section on follow up after hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review F: advice at discharge.
7 Haematological and biochemical monitoring in women with gestational hypertension
What is the role of assessing haematological or biochemical parameters at diagnosis of gestational hypertension and during surveillance of gestational hypertension? [2010]