Research Article: Using self-monitoring to detect and manage raised blood pressure and pre-eclampsia during pregnancy: the BUMP research programme and its impact
Abstract:
Raised blood pressure affects around ten percent of pregnancies worldwide, causing maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Self-monitoring of blood pressure during higher-risk or hypertensive pregnancy has been shown to be feasible, acceptable, safe, and no more expensive than usual care alone. Additionally, self-testing for proteinuria has been shown to be just as accurate as healthcare professional testing, creating the potential for monitoring of multiple indicators through pregnancy. The work suggests however, that an organisational shift is needed to properly use and see benefits from self-monitored readings. This paper describes the findings from a large programme of work examining the use of self-monitoring in pregnancy, summarising the findings in the context of the wider literature and current clinical context.
Introduction:
Raised blood pressure (BP) affects ~10% of pregnancies, and is associated with an increased risk of developing pre-eclampsia, and in the long-term an increased risk of chronic hypertension and cardiovascular disease [1, 2]. The early detection and subsequent management of pregnancy hypertension is important, in order to optimise pregnancy outcomes for the woman and infant. Unlike BP monitoring and management outside of pregnancy, BP can change rapidly during pregnancy and changes can be difficult to predict [1].
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