The relation between life stress and hypertensive complications during pregnancy.

The relationship between life stress and hypertensive complications during pregnancy was studied in 345 women. A questionnaire was answered in the first trimester. The questions concerned education, employment, social network, traumatic experiences, housing conditions and stress of work. In this way a total life stress score for each woman was obtained. Hypertensive disorders, including chronic hypertension, were found in 63 women (18.3%). No significant difference was evident between women with low and high life stress scores with regard to hypertensive disorders during pregnancy. Nor did pressure changes during pregnancy differ between these groups.