Clonidine in the treatment of hypertension during pregnancy.

Eighty two hypertensive pregnant patients were treated with clonidine during the last trimester of pregnancy. Clonidine was effective hypotensive agent in all groups treated; in essential hypertension (N 31), in mild pre-eclampsia (N 7), in severe pre-eclampsia (N 19) and in superimposed pre-eclampsia (N 24). The drug was well tolerated by the mothers. One fetus died in utero in severe pre-eclampsia group for hypoxia and another infant died at the age of 1 day for sepsis. If antihypertensive treatment is needed during pregnancy, clonidine is one choice.