Current postpartum management of hypertension: A survey of obstetricians, general practitioners, and midwives in the UK.

BACKGROUND

For many women who experience hypertension in pregnancy, raised blood pressure continues into the postpartum period, usually settling over the first 6-12 weeks. Blood pressure control during this time appears to be important for long-term cardiovascular health but care appears to be haphazard. This study aimed to understand UK National Health Service usual postpartum care for such women.

METHODS

A cross-sectional online survey was designed and piloted by a multidisciplinary team of midwives, obstetricians, primary care researchers, patient representatives, and a general practitioner, to capture current practice including blood pressure monitoring, antihypertensive prescribing, and use of self-monitoring; there were 38 questions. The survey was delivered via the Doctors.net (for obstetricians and general practitioners) and Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) online platforms (for Midwives) from May to November 2023.

RESULTS

A total of 253 clinicians responded to the survey, including 101 General Practitioners, 100 doctors working in maternity care, trained in obstetrics (obstetricians) or with specialist expertise in medical disorders in pregnancy (obstetric physicians), 50 midwives, and 2 maternity support workers. Women's care generally transferred from secondary to primary care at around two weeks postpartum, although this was not consistent, and there were differences in practice, awareness, and expectations between professions around the management of hypertension and responsibility. Communication barriers between professional groups and a need for better guidance and co-ordination were highlighted, and most professionals agreed that self-measured blood pressure readings could support postpartum care for those with hypertension.

CONCLUSIONS

The survey highlighted variations in the practice and expectations of different healthcare professionals involved in postpartum care. The time when care was transferred from hospital to primary care was not consistent, with potential for women's care to fall through gaps. The transfer of information and women's ability to access care at this time were highlighted as problematic.